27 September 2007

Dads Happier than Moms

An article says mothers are working more out of the home, husbands are not picking up the slack, homes are dirtier. Family gatherings are stressful for mothers and they are relaxing for dads. I definitely think all of this is true:

... For a woman, time with her parents often resembles work, whether it’s helping them pay bills or plan a family gathering. “For men, it tends to be sitting on the sofa and watching football with their dad,”

.... Since the 1960s, men have gradually cut back on activities they find unpleasant. They now work less and relax more.

... women have replaced housework with paid work — and, as a result, are spending almost as much time doing things they don’t enjoy as in the past.

... women now have a much longer to-do list than they once did ...They can’t possibly get it all done, and many end up feeling as if they are somehow falling short.

... the average time devoted to dusting has fallen significantly in recent decades. ... I imagine that the new American dustiness affects women’s happiness more than men’s.

...Her mother’s goals in life, ... were to have a beautiful garden, a well-kept house and well-adjusted children who did well in school. “I sort of want all those things, too,” the student said, as Ms. Stevenson recalled, “but I also want to have a great career and have an impact on the broader world.”

...American society hasn’t fully come to grips with the change. The United States still doesn’t have universal preschool, and, in contrast to other industrialized countries, there is no guaranteed paid leave for new parents.

..men still haven’t figured out how to shoulder their fair share of the household burden...

Here is the original study.

Here is a cartoon showing how when at work, we are wishing we were with our family, and when we are at home, we are often thinking we should be working.

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