Abstract

Domestic routines are one of the resources that weave the fabric of everyday family life. Without them, every day should be reinvented and every action should be designed every time, made explicit and explained, making family life chaotic and unmanageable. In this paper we analyzed, through focus groups with 15 working mothers, how domestic routines help to support the conduct of "busy" family lives and the difficult reconciliation of work and family needs. Through a functional analysis of the narratives produced during the focus groups, we identified some of the ways in which such a support takes place. In particular, we analyzed the functions that routines play in the coordination of multiple lines of activities and their being local resource for action and practical thinking. Finally, we consider the role that personal moral positionings, ideologies about parenting, time usage and efficiency prevalent in our society may have in explaining the variety and diversity of family routines.