ABSTRACT
The study was undertaken to determine the influence of mothers? employment on pre-school children?s socio-emotional development in Northwest Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: Establish the influence of mother?s type of employment on preschool children?s socio-emotional development, determine the impact of hours spent by mothers at work on socio-emotional development of their pre-school children, assess the attachment patterns of pre-school children to their working mothers, and also determine the differences among teachers, bankers and medical personnel mothers employment to their pre-school children socio-emotional development. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The sample comprised working mothers in the northwest zone. A total of four hundred and six working mothers from teaching, banking and medical and paramedical professions were randomly selected for the study. Questionnaire made up of thirty four structured items was used for the study. Mean (X), Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and ANOVA statistical test at 0.05 level of significance were used to analysed the data obtained. The findings revealed among others that mothers type of employment had an influence on the socio-emotional development of pre-school children. The hours mothers spent at work affect the socio-emotional development of their pre-school children. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that, mothers should be flexible in dealing with their profession work and their children, government and other parastatals and organisations should reconsider the hours of work for mothers in order to strengthen mother/child attachment so that children will be provided with love, care and affection needed for proper development.