Majority of working parents say they take care of work-related tasks when they’re with their kids
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WASHINGTON - For millions of American parents, the workday doesn't end when they leave the office, and parenting responsibilities don't wait until after work hours.
A new survey from Pew Research Center finds that the boundaries between work and family life have become increasingly blurred, leaving many parents feeling stretched thin and unable to fully meet the demands of either role.
70% of parents handle parent-related tasks while working
By the numbers:
The survey of 2,242 U.S. working parents, conducted between March 2-15, 2026, found that a majority of full-time working parents regularly juggle family and job responsibilities simultaneously.
According to the data, seven in 10 parents (70%) said they handle parenting-related tasks while working, while 59% reported taking care of work-related responsibilities when spending time with their children.
In addition, more than half of working parents (54%) said balancing work and family obligations is difficult.
About half of parents say job makes it harder to be good parent
Dig deeper:
The challenges also extend beyond scheduling conflicts. About half of full-time working parents (52%) said their job makes it harder to be a good parent, while 45% said being a parent makes it harder to advance professionally.
Seven in 10 working parents said they handle parenting tasks while on the job, while 59% reported doing work-related tasks during family time with their children. (Credit: Getty Images)
Many parents said work cuts into family time. Six in 10 respondents said they believe they spend too little time with their children, and nearly half said work responsibilities have caused them to miss important events such as school performances, sports games or other activities.
The strain appeared to affect parents' personal lives as well. Majorities of working parents said they lacked sufficient time for hobbies, friendships, exercise and relaxation.
Survey suggests that moms find balance more difficult
Nearly two-thirds of full-time working moms (62%) said balancing work and family responsibilities is difficult, compared with 47% of dads.
Mothers were also significantly more likely to report handling parenting duties during work hours, with 81% saying they do so at least sometimes. This included 38% of moms who said they do this extremely or very often – about double the share of dads who said the same (17%).
Still, the majority of full-time working dads said they take care of parenting tasks while at work (62%) and work tasks while with their children (57%) at least sometimes.
But the survey also pointed to persistent inequalities in how parenting and household responsibilities are divided. Among married or cohabiting couples where both parents work full time, 52% said the mother handles more parenting tasks, while only 10% said the father does more. Similar patterns emerged when it comes to household chores.
Even when mothers spent more time working than fathers, respondents were still more likely to report that moms shouldered the greater share of parenting and household duties.
Among parents who have missed a child's activity because of work, 65% of mothers say they feel extremely or very upset, compared with 45% of fathers.
What They’re Saying: One mother who participated in the survey told Pew Research Center, "I'm supposed to work like I don't have kids and supposed to parent like I don't have a job."
Parents say ‘work from home’ would be helpful
Workplace benefits and flexibility also play a significant role in parents' experiences. Most full-time working parents say the ability to work from home when needed would be extremely or very helpful. Yet only 24% report having a high degree of flexibility to telework.
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Access to benefits varies sharply by income. Lower-income working parents are less likely to receive paid time off, paid leave, or employer-provided health insurance, and they are more likely to worry about losing pay—or even their jobs—if a child becomes sick or childcare arrangements fall through.
Childcare costs remain a major obstacle across income groups. While higher-income families are more likely to rely on paid childcare such as daycare centers or preschools, lower- and middle-income parents more often depend on relatives, friends, or neighbors for help.
The Source: The information for this survey was provided by Pew Research Center. This story was reported from Los Angeles.