From two to three: Family changes and needs facing parenthood

Having children in a household previously constituted by a couple entails a critical phase of the family development cycle, to such an extent that certain authors set in this very moment the beginning of a new family. In addition to the importance of this moment, it is evident that the family dynamics and interactions before the parenthood change and, consequently, new needs requiring socio-educational support arise. Specifically, this research aims to analyze the dynamics of couples with children; 261 people (53.6% women and 46.4% men) completed a questionnaire of 11 items focused, on one side, on the decision-making regarding children and, on the other side, the involvement and commitment on the parenting tasks and the education of their children. Although overall results are positive, attention must also be given to the difficulty in reaching agreements on the children with the partner, and, particularly, who spends more time on upbringing and taking care of their children, helping them with their homework and maintaining the relationship with the school. Unequal household responsibilities may be associated with the fact that women feel more overwhelmed