According to the initial post-COVID Parenting in America Today report, moms are suffering
The world as we know it doesnt exist anymore. COVIDย has done and undone so many things that we slowly built. One such that is a step back in gender equity. The first post-COVID report from Pew Research on Parenting in America Today was released on January 24th and things are not lookign good for moms.
Mothers in the U.S. tend to be more involved in and concerned about various aspects of childcare, often feeling more judged and stressed, while fathers perceive a more equitable distribution of parenting responsibilities. This discrepancy underscores the nuanced differences in how mothers and fathers approach and experience parenting.
And we took the liberty of using ChatGPT to summarize this and convey the message as a millennial mom would.
Note: This summary provides a playful and informal take on the research, aiming to capture the tone and vibe of a millennial mom using emojis.
Hey fam! ๐Diving deep into this Pew Research, and OMG! The #MomLife is so real. ๐ Let's break it down:
๐ค Worries & Stress: Us mamas are way more stressed about our kiddos facing challenges like mental health issues, bullying, and other big-time threats. Anxiety? Depression? We're out here losing sleep over it. ๐ฐ And hands up if you've felt judged for your parenting style! ๐โ๏ธ Yep, me too.
๐โ๏ธ Parenting Style: So apparently, we moms are a tad overprotective ๐ก๏ธ (guilty as charged! ๐). We're more likely to give in too soon ๐ญ, while dads? They're chill and sometimes give too much freedom ๐. But hey, we're also the praise squad, always cheering on our little ones. ๐
๐คฑ Identity & Parenting: Being a parent is the gig. For most of us, it's a HUGE part of who we are. But guess what? More of us mamas (35%) say it's the MOST important thing about us compared to the dads (24%). ๐
๐ค Worries & Stress: Us mamas are way more stressed about our kiddos facing challenges like mental health issues, bullying, and other big-time threats. Anxiety? Depression? We're out here losing sleep over it. ๐ฐ And hands up if you've felt judged for your parenting style! ๐โ๏ธ Yep, me too.
๐ฅฐ Aspirations & Goals: We all want our kids to be the best versions of themselves. Hardworking, honest, ethical - you know the drill. But here's a twist: us moms really want our kiddos to be open-minded and accepting ๐ and super helpful to others. ๐ซ
๐ Who Does More?: Ah, the age-old debate! Most of us moms feel we're the CEOs of our kids' schedules ๐, school help ๐, emotional support ๐ค, and the basics like feeding and bathing ๐ผ๐. Dads? They feel things are more 50-50, but some also feel they're the discipline chief ๐ซ.
๐ The Hard Reality: If you're a mom and feel like parenting's been tougher than you thought, you're not alone. Especially if you're the one managing schedules or being the main emotional support. โค๏ธ And let's not forget how the pandemic added a whole new level of "Mom CEO." ๐ฆธโ๏ธ
Stay strong, mamas! We got this! ๐ชโค๏ธ
Pandemic's Effect on U.S. Moms' Childcare
Another report from Pew Research says that during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. mothers, especially those with children aged 5 to 12, saw a marked increase in multitasking childcare responsibilities. This trend, exacerbated by remote work and school changes, further highlighted the enduring gender disparities in childcare roles.
Historical gender differences persisted, with fathers spending less time on both primary and secondary child care than mothers. For dads with kids aged 5 to 12, secondary care time saw a moderate increase in 2020. However, this didnโt hold for fathers with kids aged 4 or under.
Overall, parents of children under 13 experienced a boost in secondary care time during the pandemic's first year. For instance, mothers' daily average on secondary care rose from 6.5 hours in 2019 to 7.9 hours in 2020, dropping slightly to 7.0 hours in 2021.
Full-time employed parents generally dedicated less time to secondary care than those not working full-time. Interestingly, full-time working mothers saw a surge during the pandemicโs onset, which slightly decreased in 2021.
The rise in remote working, combined with disruptions in schooling and daycare, is believed to have contributed to the added secondary care hours. Additionally, research indicates a wider gender gap in time use, with mothers juggling work and supervising kids more than fathers during the pandemic, underscoring the additional pressures mothers faced. With the return to work and the workforce reduction, the balance is again disturbed.
A Call to Action for Genuine Gender Equity
The pandemic has underscored a persistent challenge: the unequal distribution of childcare and domestic responsibilities. As we've seen, mothers faced intensified demands, widening the gender gap at home. Yet, change can start within our households.
At S'moresUp, we staunchly believe that the path to global gender equality begins at the doorstep. We are diligently crafting tools and strategies to foster a balanced home environment, because achieving parity within our walls sets the foundation for equality in the workforce, workplaces, and ultimately, the world. Letโs take collective action now; building a fairer tomorrow starts in our homes today.