This study focuses on how teachers' work-related boundaries are challenged in relation to students' parents. Historically,good relationships between teachers and parents have been regarded as a success factor for students' school results. This isalso how parents' involvement in their children's education often has been discussed in research. In recent years, however,teachers' parental contacts in Sweden have come to be discussed as problematic for teachers. The teachers' union reportsthat teachers feel that parents make unreasonable demands (Lärarförbundet 2020); e.g., attempt to control teachers byexpressing opinions on their grading, or show what is perceived as excessive solicitousness for their own child. Teachersdescribe this as a problem that has intensified over time (Hedlin & Frank, 2022). Against this background, the aim is tocontribute knowledge about teachers' work-related boundaries in relation to parents and how these are maintained andchallenged.Theoretical frameworkIn this study, boundary theory is used to identify how teachers' work-related boundaries are created and maintained(Aronsson, 2018). Boundless work can mean freedom and be experienced positively. At the same time, it can contribute tofeeling the demand of always having to be available, which might be stressful. Individuals can use strategies to safeguardtheir private life by trying to keep work and leisure separate, segmentation. A segmenting strategy can mean not answeringe-mails at home. Other strategies can be about reducing the friction between work and leisure, integration. Betweensegmentation and integration, there is a spectrum with great variation.Female teachers are more exposed to parental demands, because teachers' work is associated with norms of femininity inthe form of expectations to provide care, and prioritise the needs of others (Widding, 2013). Therefore, boundary theory iscombined with Connell's (2009) gender theory, which describes how the verbal, bodily and material aspects of socialrelations create gender patterns, a gender order. Methodological designThe presentation is based on 15 semi-structured interviews with teachers. During the interviews, participants reflected onvignettes that illustrated fictitious cases of teachers' parental contacts.Expected conclusions/findingsPreliminary results show that teachers' work-related boundaries in relation to parents are maintained and challenged byideals of good relations with homes, availability, care for the students, and collegiality.Relevance to Nordic educational researchThe Nordic countries stress the importance of parental involvement in their children’s schooling. Much research has focusedon parents’ opportunities to engage in children’s schooling, but Nordic educational research has also highlighted thatteachers’ professional responsibility can be weakened by too much parental cooperation (Dahl, 2017).

Aronsson, G. (2018). Gränslöst arbete: En forskarantologi om arbetsmiljöutmaningar i ett gränslöst arbetsliv.Arbetsmiljöverket.

Connell, R. (2009). Om genus. Daidalos.Dahl, K. (2017). Too much parental cooperation? Parent–teacher cooperation and how it influences professional responsibilityamong Danish schoolteachers. Power and Education, 9(3), 177-191

Hedlin, M., & Frank, E. (2022). “They Want a Reply Immediately!” Teachers’ Perceptions About Contact Between Home andSchool. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 11(2), 271-288.

Lärarförbundet (2020). Varannan lärare utsätts för orimliga föräldrakrav.Widding, G. (2013). "Det ska funka" -Om genus betydelse i relationen hem och skola. Umeå Universitet.