Leisure, Unpaid Labour, Lifestyles and the Mental and General Health of Suburban Mothers in Sydney, Australia

SynopsisWhile unpaid labour in the home is equated with leisure and while good motherhood is equated with selflessness, leisure in the sense of time and space for oneself is problematic for mothers at home with young children. At the same time women in this position have been shown to suffer greater physical and mental stress than women in the workforce. This study set out to investigate the relationship between the leisure experience of a small sample of middle–class suburban mothers and their general and mental health. Thirty women who attended groups for mothers of first babies run by Baby Health Centres in the northern suburbs of the Sydney Metropolitan Area were interviewed in February–March 1988. The results show a relationship between time spent on leisure and time for one’s own space during the week prior to the interview and some aspects of general and mental health as measured by the Rand Corporation Indices. Three cases are presented and issues for women’s leisure, labour and lifestyles discussed.