Working more doesn't mean parenting less

Over the past 40 years, the amount of time moms spend with their kids has actually increased.

Published October 18, 2006 4:48PM (EDT)

According to this report from Robert Pear of the New York Times, women are working more but not parenting less. It boggles the mind, but this is a radical notion for some people.

Researchers found that more women are now part of the workforce, but working mothers are spending as much time with their children as they were 40 years ago. Rather than choose between work and caring for their children, mothers apparently let the housework slide. The study found that time spent parenting actually increased for both married and single mothers.

Remind me to add this book to Sen. Rick Santorum's wish list.

The findings of this new study are presented in "Changing Rhythms of American Family Life," published by the Russell Sage Foundation and the American Sociological Association.

So much for the conventional wisdom that has fueled the guilt of working mothers for generations.


By Pamela Merritt

Pamela Merritt is the Co-Founder of Reproaction, a leading abortion rights and reproductive justice organization. Pamela is an activist and writer committed to empowering individuals and communities through reproductive justice. A proud Midwesterner, Merritt is dedicated to protecting and expanding access to the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare.

MORE FROM Pamela Merritt


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