Mexicans place a high value on family and traditional values. Although women make up an increasingly large portion of the labor force (about one-quarter in the mid-1990s), many women continue to work within the home.
Children, especially in middle- and upper-income homes, typically remain at home longer than their counterparts in the United States. There are vast differences, however, in the daily lives of Mexican women depending on income level.
Women in middle- and upper-income households typically have outside help with child care, cleaning, and meal preparation.
Women in poor and working-class households often work both inside and outside the home, with many of them working at more than one outside job.