Ibu Rumah Tangga Pekerja Serabutan dan Tantangan Fatherhood dalam Mengelola Keluarga di Pedesaan Sukamakmur: Berlakukah Peran Domestik Ayah?

Abstract

The role of fathers as heads of households and primary breadwinners has long been embedded in traditional family structures in rural Indonesia. However, ongoing social and economic changes have triggered shifts in these roles, particularly as housewives increasingly engage in informal, irregular work to help meet household needs. This study aims to explore the transformation of paternal domestic roles in situations where mothers take on the role of main income earners through informal employment. The research was conducted in Sukamakmur Village, Sibolangit Subdistrict, North Sumatra Province, using a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations of families experiencing role shifts. The findings reveal that many fathers have begun to participate in domestic responsibilities such as childcare and household management, while mothers serve as the family's economic backbone. Nevertheless, men continue to dominate in major household decision-making. These findings indicate a degree of flexibility and negotiation in the division of gender roles, shaped more by mutual agreement than by traditional norms. This study affirms that fatherhood roles in rural areas are adaptive to ongoing social and economic transformations.