Working parents report struggle to balance job and family duties
10 reported
A new Pew Research Center survey finds that many working parents feel unable to fully meet the demands of both work and home. Two-thirds of working mothers report they cannot give 100% at home, and just over half say they cannot give their all at work. Among fathers, half say 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 families with both parents working full time has risen from 31% in 1975 to 52% in 2025, according to Pew’s analysis of census data. The survey of 2,242 working parents also found that more than half of lower-income parents and single mothers are highly worried about losing pay if they must leave work for family issues. Black and Hispanic parents worry more about this than white and Asian parents.
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 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 dads working full time and moms not working dropped from 42% in 1975 to 23% in 2025.
More than half of lower-income parents and single mothers are highly worried about losing pay if they must leave work for family issues.
Black and Hispanic parents worry more about this than white and Asian parents.
Nearly half of working parents needing care for school-aged kids had difficulty finding an arrangement in the summer.
Roughly three-quarters of parents surveyed do not have the option to 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.
About a third of these parents frequently deal with work matters while spending time with their children.
Key figures
Amber Petersen, legal assistant at a small law firm in Mason City, Iowa
Rachel Minkin, senior researcher at Pew Research Center
President Trump (mentioned in context of calling for a baby boom)
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha (mentioned as expecting their fourth child)
Sources: NPR
