Mothers feel less happy (and more stressed) than fathers regarding childcare

Parenting, with all that that implies, changes the lives of both parents radically. But according to a recent study, mothers feel less happy than fathers in parental tasks, not because they are not happy to be a mother, but because, generally, the responsibility falls on them with greater weight.

An investigation by scientists at Cornell University, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Population Center focused on the time that men and women devote to their children, and concluded that Mothers feel more tired in caring for their children, much less happy and more stressed.

The scientists analyzed the data of more than 12,000 parents in the United States and related them to the feelings embodied in the American Survey of Time Use of 2010, 2012 and 2013. They not only determined what kind of activities mothers and fathers usually have with their children, but also the environment in which they perform them.

School, homework, extracurricular activities, birthdays, doctors, housework, work ... With so many responsibilities there is hardly any time just to "be" with the children and enjoy them. But in addition, the time the father and mother share with the children is different.

Parents enjoy their children more

A positive aspect of the research is that, in general, parents enjoy more time they spend with their children. That is good. In fact, it is recommended that parents spend more time with their children since their way of treating them is different from that of moms.

However, as a counterpart, a negative one is that mothers enjoy less than fathers because they have more 'work' and less 'fun' in parental tasks.

Mothers take care of everything that implies responsibility while leisure time is more about fathers.

A very interesting clarification made by sociologist Ann Meier, one of the authors of the study is that

"When mothers are with their children, they are usually alone. Parents when they are with children, they are more likely to have other adults nearby, who offer support. This helps to understand why parents are less stressed with their children "

They, more tired

Another aspect that the study points out is that mothers are more tired than fathers, because they are the first to be “awakened” by children, which translates into lack of sleep, therefore, in mothers tired of caring to the children.

"By collecting experiences from thousands of mothers and fathers, it becomes clear that raising children is stressful and exhausting, and that it usually falls to moms."

A more equitable distribution of tasks

It is not the same in all households, but the conclusions are widespread. The burden of responsibility rests mostly on the mother, although fortunately more and more parents are involved in raising children.

To the extent that the parents are more assuming the responsibilities of parenting, mothers will be more liberated and less tired to spend more leisure time with their children.

In your case, how is the distribution of parental tasks? Does it coincide with what the research indicates?

Video: Dr. Gabor Maté: Consequences of Stressed Parenting (March 2024).