Mothers with live-in male partners often experience less sleep and increased housework compared to single mothers, challenging the assumption that partners share the domestic burden equally. This phenomenon, highlighted in research funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, reveals a complex dynamic in American households. Even when mothers are the primary breadwinners, they shoulder a disproportionate amount of housework on their days off, performing three times more cooking, cleaning, and laundry than fathers in similar situations.
The Unequal Division of Labor at Home
While seemingly counterintuitive, studies consistently demonstrate that mothers living with male partners undertake more housework than their single counterparts. This disparity persists even when accounting for factors like employment status and income. Both single and partnered mothers dedicate comparable time to childcare, but married mothers often sacrifice personal leisure and sleep to accommodate unpaid domestic tasks. This suggests societal expectations and ingrained gender roles may contribute to this imbalance.
Researchers hypothesize that societal pressures on married women to conform to traditional wife and mother roles influence their behavior. The perceived obligation to prioritize housework and childcare above personal needs may explain why married mothers experience less sleep and greater workload compared to single mothers.
The Breadwinner Burden: Mothers vs. Fathers
A striking difference emerges when comparing sole breadwinner mothers and fathers. On average workdays, mothers in this role spend approximately an hour on cooking and cleaning, while fathers dedicate a mere 10 minutes to similar tasks. This stark contrast reinforces the notion that mothers, regardless of their employment status, are often held to a higher standard of domestic responsibility. When a mother is the stay-at-home parent, the expectation of managing the household’s domestic life is clear. However, this expectation doesn’t consistently apply when the father is the stay-at-home parent.
While societal norms are evolving, with more fathers assuming childcare responsibilities, the pressure to maintain a clean and orderly home, and provide home-cooked meals, appears to weigh more heavily on mothers. This societal accountability for the household’s appearance contributes significantly to the disparity in housework between men and women.
Analyzing the Data: Single vs. Partnered Mothers
This groundbreaking research distinguishes itself by focusing on the comparison between single and partnered mothers, and married couples with male versus female sole breadwinners. Prior studies examined the division of housework between genders broadly, but these studies offer a nuanced understanding of how partnership status influences a mother’s domestic workload. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey (ATUS) between 2003 and 2012 provided insights into the daily schedules of white, black, and Hispanic mothers aged 18 to 54 with at least one child under 13. Factors like employment, education, children’s ages, and extended family presence were considered in the analysis.
The findings consistently indicate that mothers cohabitating with men perform more daily household chores compared to single mothers. Even when holding the role of sole breadwinner, married mothers continue to bear a substantial portion of the housework burden in addition to their paid jobs—often referred to as the “second shift.” This disparity highlights the persistent challenges faced by mothers in balancing work and family life. The added responsibility placed on mothers who are the main financial providers illustrates the complexity of gender roles in contemporary society.
Conclusion: The Need for a More Equitable Distribution
The research underscores a significant imbalance in housework and sleep patterns between single and partnered mothers in the U.S. Societal expectations and traditional gender roles appear to contribute to the increased domestic burden placed on mothers living with male partners. This disparity persists even when mothers are the primary breadwinners, highlighting the need for a more equitable distribution of household labor and a reevaluation of societal expectations surrounding motherhood and partnership. Addressing this imbalance requires open communication within families and broader societal changes that challenge ingrained gender roles and promote a more equitable sharing of domestic responsibilities.
