Beyond that, though, women are more likely to manage the daily scrum of life with kids
At a time when women have gained ever more standing in politics and society, they tend to carry additional burdens in terms of family. Some of this is biological. Women are typically pregnant for 40 weeks and then – depending on personal preferences toward breastfeeding – serve as a primary food source for any number of weeks, months or years.
They take on more domestic chores, including such things as meal preparation, school runs, PTA meetings and doctor’s appointments
According to the Department of Labor Statistics, the division of domestic duties in American households is far from equal. On an average day, 83% of women and 65% of men spend some time doing activities such as housework, cooking, lawn care or financial and other household management. Women spend an average of 2.6 hours on such activities a day, while men spend 2.1 hours.
Monica McGrath, adjunct professor of management at Wharton and a consultant who specializes in women’s leadership development, says that even women who are in supportive partnerships experience continual strain.
“Many of the women I coach – women who know they want a career and who were groomed to have one – are in very supportive relationships, where there is co-parenting. But there are compromises all around,” she says. “It’s not simple, and there is often tension. There is a constant negotiation in their marriage about who’s going to do what and how much.
“I ask the same question of almost every woman I coach: How much of the home front – the cooking, the cleaning and the household management – can you pay someone else to do? Continue reading “Beyond that, though, women are more likely to manage the daily scrum of life with kids”
