Egalitarian Ideals and Traditional Plans: Analysis of First-time Parents in Spain Ideales igualitarios y planes tradicionales: análisis de parejas primerizas en España

This study analyses childcare plans among first-time parents, examining how gender attitudes, parenthood ideals and institutional limitations influence childcare plans. It is based on a sample of 68 dual-earner couples who were expecting their first child in 2011. The analysis reveals that most couples aim to maintain a dual-earner model after the transition to parenthood. However, when difficulties balancing work and family are anticipated, women continue to reveal a greater predisposition to develop “adaptive preferences” to meet childcare needs. Men, in contrast, exhibit much greater resistance to making important employment-related adjustments, due to their fear of being penalised in the workplace or to their particularly strong work orientation.