Separate Work Datings

1. This paper discusses the impact of separate work stations amongst married couples in Botswana. The impact of separate work stations on married couples has been a subject of debate in Botswana and of course in other countries for a very long time. Generally, studies from other countries show that separate work stations have positive and negative impact on married couples (Gross & Gerstel, 1989).By tradition husband and wife are preordained to stay together. The Biblical understanding of marriage is that God created man and then made a woman to complement him because God thought that it was not good for a man to be alone. This is reflected in the book of Genesis 2: 23-24 which reads:

“And the man exclaimed, ‘Here is someone like me! She

Separate work stations amongst married couples is seen as a factor that results in divorce and it is overlooked by employers and even the married persons themselves (Maganu-Edwin & Maitseo , 2011). According to Maganu-Edwin and Maitseo (2011) separate work stations amongst married couples has disastrous consequences such as poor communication skills which results in loss of vital connection, couples not planning together, couples experiencing economic hardships and engaging in extramarital. When couples start to experience these negative effects, they are bound to let go their marriage. In the study that was carried out by (Ntseane, 2004), the respondents (13 %) alluded to the fact that separate work stations are a threat to their marriage. Furthermore, some of these respondents confirmed that they divorced because of job-induced separation. Separate work stations amongst married couples is seen as a mediator for divorce

But obviously there are closer to me than their dad. There is distance between them and their father. Sometimes they make remarks like ‘ wa ba a tsile’ (he has come to bother us). When he is at home, he is considered an outsider by the children” (p.73).

13. Due to separate work stations amongst married couples children may have not enough attachment with their parents. At times children do not understand why the other parent is staying far away for long. Sometimes children may ask their mother get them another father because of they think their father will not be coming back. Furthermore raising a teenager may be a problem especially for the mother. If the teenager is delinquent the mother may find it hard to discipline him/her. Father express a feeling of guilt and are of the view that children will blame for been absent parents.

12. It is therefore clear that the absence of the mother or father due to separate work stations denies children to develop parent-child relationships with their parents. It should be noted that children depend on the parents for comfort, security and love. Therefore if parents fail to provide these key factors they create mammoth stress on their children. As recognized by (Corneau, 1991) parents help their children to create an inner identity, have a sense of exploration, growth and self-esteem, and to make the transition from the world of the family to the world at