IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM) e-ISSN: 2278-487X, p-ISSN: 2319-7668. Volume 20, Issue 7. Ver. III (July. 2018), PP 32-46 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/487X-2007033246 www.iosrjournals.org 32 | Page A Comparative Analysis of Marital Child Care Obligations of Women Working In Public and Private Sector Organizations in Imo State, Nigeria Nwokorie, Chinedu N 1 , and Iheriohanma, E. B. J 2 . 1 department Of Sociology Imo State University, Owerri Imo State, Nigeria. 2 directorate Of General Studies Federal University Of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Corresponding Author: Nwokorie, Chinedu N Abstract: The study examined the effect hours women spend at work have on the quality of child care among working women in the public and private sector organizations in Imo State, Nigeria. This study is anchored on the Rational Choice Theory. The quantitative data for this study were collected from 524 respondents selected from two privately and two publicly owned organizations in Imo State while the qualitative data were from 8 key informants interviewed. The objective of this study is to examine whether the hours spent at work by women working in private or public sector can affect the quality of child care. The quantitative data were analyzed using a combination of percentage, Correlation Coefficient, Chi-square, Cross-tabulation, Mean and Standard Deviation, and one-way ANOVA while the qualitative data were analysed thematically in content form. The hypothesis revealed that, the longer time a woman spends at work, the less time she spends with her children. Thus, hours women spend at work significantly influence the quality of child care that lack of adequate attention, satisfaction and frequent absence of the woman can contribute to the increasing cases of social vices, like truancy, gambling, indiscipline, etc. The study suggests that the government and private organizations should formulate labour policies that will enable women spend ample time in the offices and with the children to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness both in her work place and in their marital obligations. Keywords: Marital obligations, Childcare obligations, Working women, Public and Private sectors, Work hours, Nigeria. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 26-06-2018 Date of acceptance: 12-07-2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction A critical issue deserving considerable attention in recent family discourse is the involvement of women in paid labour and the fulfillment of their marital obligations of childcare. The rush of married women into the workforce runs against traditional thinking that women must choose between family and career. Some scholars such as Wilson (2006) condemned working mothers as selfish, unnatural and even dangerous to their children and society. Wilson went further to note that the increasing rise in juvenile delinquency could be attributed to absence of women and mothers‟ stay away from the home. Many of these mothers are young and they spend more time at work developing their careers, to the detriment of giving adequate time and attention to their children. In a typical African cultural setting, the man is the head and the sole provider for sustenance of the family. The woman, on the other hand, is expected to mind the home front and take care of the children. She is not expected to take up paid employment that will detach/distance her away from the domestic chores of a housewife. She is, however, expected to provide informal education and subsequently prepare the child for formal education. The family, as a foremost agent of socialization, both in traditional and modern society, has a major function in child rearing and up-bringing. In the work of Bell and Robert (2009), the family has remained the primary agent for the initial socialization of the young for a significant period of time after birth. As a result of this, women play a significant role in shaping the attitude, values and beliefs of the children. Since housework is still considered the woman's domain, working women in paid employment shoulder additional responsibility at the work place as well as in their domestic front. Unexpected sickness of children is a calamity that can be difficult to handle. Consequently, there is often the urgent need to use and avail themselves of unpaid leave and unexpected absence from work. Even in double-income families, it is still the woman who is expected to take care of a sick child. Stress loads can be quite high amongst working mothers and these may often reflect in their relationships at home. She is stressed to be at work on time, to send her child to school and to meet all the