Working parents report struggle to balance job and family duties
9 reported
A new Pew Research Center survey finds that many working parents feel unable to give their full effort to both work and home. Two-thirds of working mothers say they cannot give 100% at home, and just over half say the same about work. Among fathers, half report they cannot give 100% at home, and about a third say they cannot give their all at work. The survey focused primarily on families with both parents working full time. The share of such families has risen from 31% in 1975 to 52% today, according to Pew’s analysis of census data. The survey of 2,242 working parents also examined policies that could help, such as paid sick leave and affordable childcare. Amber Petersen, a legal assistant in Iowa, said she struggles with the trade-offs and cannot afford a fourth child.
What’s reported
Two-thirds of working mothers report they cannot give 100% at home; just over half say they cannot give their all at work.
Half of working fathers say they cannot give 100% at home; about a third say they cannot give their all at work.
The share of families with both parents working full time rose from 31% in 1975 to 52% in 2025.
The share of families with a father working full time and a mother not working dropped from 42% in 1975 to 23% in 2025.
The survey included 2,242 working parents.
Nearly half of working parents needing care for school-aged kids had difficulty finding summer arrangements.
Roughly three-quarters of surveyed parents cannot work from home.
Close to 40% of parents who work from home all or nearly all the time frequently take care of parenting tasks while working.
President Trump called for a baby boom; Vice President JD Vance and his wife are expecting their fourth child.
Key figures
Amber Petersen, legal assistant in Mason City, Iowa
Rachel Minkin, senior researcher at Pew Research Center
President Trump
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha
Sources: NPR
