ABSTRACT
Discussions of work-family conflict often focus on the challenges faced by young families (particularly young women) when establishing work careers as they rear children. However, a life course perspective challenges us to broaden our understanding of work-family conflict beyond its application to young adults. Work-family issues do not disappear as children grow up and move out of the home or as careers become more established, but they do change. These changes stem from both changes that occur as women age and changes associated with the aging of the women’s families. Our focus is on midlife, which we define as between the ages of 40 and 70 (Lachman, 2001), and our emphasis is on the social dimensions associated with midlife for women. Thus, we view work-family issues for midlife women as unique not only because of biological changes that occur with age, but because women move through the life course within institutions, cultures, and family relationships that also change with age.
