The Socio-Economic Well-Being of Finnish Families with Small Children: The Economic Dimension of Reciprocity

Abstract

This paper focuses on the socio-economic dimension of reciprocity and economic resources, which usually create the basis for survival and support for other resources. Reciprocity refers both to interpersonal and societal relations, as well as to people’s interpretations of their personal well-being. Research into reciprocity can be seen as a contribution to international social well-being research, where attention is focused on well-being and the communities that hold people together. In relation to the research question "How is socio-economic well-being experienced by parents within Finnish families with small children in the beginning of the 21st century?" is produced the qualitative research data based on interviews (16 families, 16 mothers and five fathers) and on a questionnaire, which complements the knowledge from the interviews, generated in 2006 in Finland. Two thirds of the interviewees felt their socio-economic security was settled, or satisfactory, whereas a third felt their security was poor. The settled well-being of families with small children are safeguarded by good connections in working life and finding employment, as well as wages earned through paid employment, domestic division of labour that spouses have agreed on and both find fair, close and trusting relationships between generations and relationships networks, and generally speaking good health. In this study, it becomes clear that well-being of the families with small children is strongly tied to social and economic stability and to their interaction: well-being is inveigling more social support and is offering more factual possibilities than deprivation.