Speaking of Psychology The invisible work of being a daughter, with Allison Alford, PhD
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Feb 4, 2026 Allison Alford, PhD, clinical associate professor who researches women, work–family balance, and invisible labor. She defines “daughtering” as the lifelong visible and invisible tasks of caring for parents. She outlines four kinds of daughtering work. She explores why daughters inherit these roles, eldest-daughter patterns, how sons compare, and ways families can renegotiate and share the load.
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Naming The Hidden Role
- Allison Alford coined 'daughtering' to name the active, ongoing work adult daughters do in families.
- Naming the role makes that work visible and opens possibilities for change.
Four Types Of Daughter Work
- Daughtering includes doing, feeling, thinking, and being work across the lifespan.
- Only the doing work is visible, so the emotional, cognitive, and identity labor often goes unrecognized.
Expectations Are Learned, Not Taught
- Daughters learn expectations through family, media, and peers rather than explicit training.
- These implicit messages shape how women absorb and act on daughtering roles.
