Eureka! Institutional Repository

This paper deals with the confrontation of the dilemma "family / personal life - professional life" in the case of female teachers in Greek public secondary education. Aspects of this dilemma are examined, as well as the possibilities for balancing it. The research utilized 10 semi-structured interviews of female teachers in secondary education, aged 32 to 53 years. The method used was thematic analysis. Six thematic sections emerged from the study of the interviews. These topics, which are analyzed in the present work, are the following: 1 The dilemma is related to: a. the year, b. personal time for education and entertainment, c. the care of children and others 2. The dilemma as a forced choice, 3. Women's work is a necessity, 4. The cost of the dilemma: a. Dilemma coping strategies, 5. Sexism and prejudices about women's work, 6. Information: Knowledge / ignorance of institutional measures to tackle the work-family dilemma on the part of women. The conclusions that emerged from the analysis emphasize, among other things, the complexity that causes the dilemma in women's lives and their choices, the pressure that women experience in their majority due to the dilemma, as well as the identification of their views regarding the cost of the dilemma.