Raising kids is not for the weak, and it turns out, it’s more work for one parent, according to new research. A new study proves something moms already know: they carry the majority of the mental load for their families.
Researchers from the University of Bath and the University of Melbourne surveyed 3-thousand U.S. parents of kids under 18, including various ethnicities, ages, races, education levels and family structures.
- Parents were asked about who handles various tasks in their household in two different categories.
- The “daily” tasks that require constant attention, like deciding what to cook and keeping track of the family calendar, and the “episodic” tasks, like noticing when the dishwasher needs repairing, or researching bank accounts and insurance options.
- The survey shows moms are responsible for 79% of “daily” tasks - more than twice the 37% that dads deal with.
- Fathers do take on more of the “episodic” responsibilities, at 65%, but mothers still do 53% of these, too.
- And moms deal with 71% of the “cognitive household labor,” while dads only handle 45%.
- Both parents tend to overestimate the share of household responsibilities they do, but dads are more likely than moms to overestimate their share of the mental load, and more likely to assume it’s equally shared, even when it’s not.
“This kind of work is often unseen, but it matters,” explains Dr. Ana Catalano Weeks, one of the lead researchers. “It can lead to stress, burnout and even impact women’s careers. In many cases, resentment can build, creating strain between couples.”
Source: Scary Mommy