We don’t have to tell you that family dynamics are changing, and have been for quite some time. According to a new study from the Pew Research Center, both moms and dads work full time in 46% of two-parent families, which has increased from 31% since 1970.
So, you may want to know, who is doing most of the parenting work these days? Well, the answer is complicated. The study shows that responsibilities are shared more equally when both parents work full-time. But of course, there’s a caveat: many moms feel they still get the brunt of the work, with 54% of the surveyed parents agreeing mom does more.
READ: Do “Stay-At-Home” Moms Work More?
Not surprisingly, about 56% of working parents say balancing their home/work balance is hard, with 41% of moms reporting that being a parent has made it harder for them to advance in their careers. You probably didn’t need a study to tell you this, but 4 in 10 working moms reported they always feel rushed. Uh, yeah.
When it comes to who is actually earning more across two-parent households, 59% say the father earns more, while 17% say the mother does, and 23% say they earn roughly the same. However, we were definitely surprised by this fact: 59% of working parents say being a parent hasn’t made any impact when it comes to advancing in their careers, whereas 3 in 10 say it has made it harder, and 1 in 10 claim it has made it easier.
READ: Going Back to Work After Baby
There are lots of interesting insights and statistics from the report, and we encourage you check out the full study here. But if you’re looking for a quick recap: Parenting is hard for everyone in different ways, as each parent (regardless of gender) tries to fulfill their role the best way they can. And while it does appear that parenting dynamics have become more equal since the 70s, moms are still struggling with balancing their work/life/stress in more ways than their male counterparts.
