What Full-time Working Moms and Dads Want, By the Numbers

Full-time working parents frequently find their professional and personal lives intertwined, with a significant majority reporting they sometimes parent while at work and vice versa. A new study by the Pew Research Center, surveying 2,242 working parents, found that 70% of these individuals occasionally juggle work and child-rearing responsibilities at the same time.

This blurring of boundaries is a common experience, though the emotional impact varies. Nearly all full-time working parents, 92%, expressed being upset about missing their children's activities due to work commitments. However, mothers reported feeling "extremely" or "very" upset at higher rates (65%) compared to fathers (45%).

"One of the major findings we have from this study is just a large share of parents who experience these blurred boundaries between family and work," said Luona Lin, a Pew Research Center research associate and co-author of the study. "And we find that moms often carry more of the mental load that comes with trying to balance what their family needs with what their work demands."

Beyond the emotional toll of missed events, the study also highlighted differing perceptions on household labor and career progression. Mothers were more likely than fathers to state that having children made it harder to advance in their careers. Furthermore, parents seemed to have divergent views on who shoulders the majority of domestic chores, suggesting ongoing disparities in the division of household responsibilities.

The research also noted a demographic shift: 52% of households where both parents work full-time, up from 46% a decade ago and 31% in 1975. This increase is largely attributed to mothers with bachelor's or postgraduate degrees entering the full-time workforce at higher rates, reflecting broader trends in women's educational attainment.

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One of the major findings we have from this study is just a large share of parents who experience these blurred boundaries between family and work. And we find that moms often carry more of the mental load that comes with trying to balance what their family needs with what their work demands.