Dads In Lockdown: Research Shows Unequal Share Of Parenting
Research shows that the burden of childcare duties while both parents work from home is not equal.
As Father’s Day approaches it is noteworthy that more fathers in the U.S. and globally are working from home and sharing in childcare duties, even homeschooling. More of them are sharing Zoom screens on business calls with their children at home in the background.
“As #FathersDay approaches it is noteworthy that more fathers in the U.S. and globally are working from home and sharing in #childcare duties, even homeschooling.”
Yet an abundance of new research shows mothers are not faring as well as fathers in the lockdown days of COVID-19.
A May report from the National Women’s Law Center shows “women — and particularly women of color — hold the majority of health care, child care and other jobs now deemed both essential and dangerous amid a pandemic,” according to Benefits Pro.
“A report from the @Nwlc shows mothers are not faring as well as fathers in the lockdown days of #COVID19. #Childcare #Inequality”
Read more in Take The Lead on fatherhood bonus
“The outbreak could also exacerbate existing inequalities surrounding male and female family responsibilities, potentially setting working women back as their careers or promotions prospects fizzle out while they put out more urgent fires at home. Faced with impossible ultimatums, some mothers are even quitting their jobs, while child care businesses starved of revenue could end up permanently shutting down,” according to Benefits Pro.
This echoes a March United Nations brief on how COVID-19 has affected women, stating, “Pandemics make existing gender equalities for women even worse.” Additionally, the “disproportionate negative effect on women and their employment opportunities” will outlast the pandemic, according to economic research from the Centre for Economic Policy Research, which found single mothers will be worst affected, Benefits Pro reports.
“The “disproportionate negative effect on women and their employment opportunities” will outlast the pandemic, according to economic research from the @Cepr_org. #COVID19 #WorkingMothers”
Research from a recent United Kingdom poll shows that more fathers are spending more time with their children than before the lockdown, but it is not the same amount of time mothers are spending with their children.
Read more in Take The Lead on working fathers
“Sixty percent of dads have been spending more time with their kids than before, which contributed to strengthening the family bond significantly. A third of dads say their relationship with their kids improved and that the isolation period brought them closer together,” according to the poll.
The realities of COVID-19 furloughs, layoffs and WFH quarantines have put the onus of childcare on mothers, as schools across the country were shutdown, with many not reopening until September, eliminating possibilities of summer school options.
“The realities of #COVID19 furloughs, layoffs and WFH quarantines have put the onus of #childcare on mothers, as schools across the country were shutdown.”
The Guardian reports on the same IFS poll, stating, “Working mothers have been able to do only one hour of uninterrupted paid work for every three hours done by men during lockdown, according to a study that exposes the work imbalance between men and women.”
According to the Guardian, “A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the UCL institute of education also says mothers in England are more likely than fathers to have lost their jobs during lockdown, increasing fears that the coronavirus crisis has exacerbated inequality and could lead to the gender pay gap increasing. The mothers interviewed were looking after children for an average of 10.3 hours a day – 2.3 hours more than fathers – and doing housework for 1.7 more hours than fathers.”
According to the World Economic Forum, “Women with children are more likely to have lost their job or have been furloughed, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The research shows that working mothers’ working hours have fallen more, proportionally, and their work time is interrupted more often by childcare.”
The WEF reports, “Around the world, lockdowns and school closures are putting more pressure on families, with children staying at home and needing to be entertained or educated. While this is putting additional burdens on all family members, the IFS's study shows that, in the UK, mothers are bearing the brunt, and that this could have a long-lasting effect on their prospects.”
The WEF reports in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020 that the rates working mothers are paid has fallen in the last five years, as compared to fathers. “In 2014/15, mothers were in paid work at 80% of the rate of fathers; now this is 70% of the fathers’ rate. Before COVID-19, mothers in paid work worked an average of 73% of the hours fathers worked, and this has now fallen to 68%.”
Read more in Take The Lead on working parents
The Forum is also not optimistic for women who are working mothers. “The effects of this discrepancy will endure far past the pandemic, the researchers said, because workers who have lost their jobs permanently may struggle to find new ones, and workers who have reduced their hours may struggle to increase them again. Meanwhile workers whose productivity has suffered due to interruptions may be penalized in pay and promotion decisions.”
Parental leave is increasingly common in white collar work, with a Mercer study in 2019 finding 40 percent offer paid leave. Paid parental leave, however, remains uncommon for blue collar and service workers, who have also been disproportionately affected by pandemic measures.
“Paid #ParentalLeave remains uncommon for blue collar and service workers, who have also been disproportionately affected by pandemic measures. #PaidLeave”
Dharushana Muthulingam, MS, MD, who returned to work after the birth of her daughter during COVID, writes in Ms., “The World Economic Forum reports that, in contrast to many college-educated workers, blue collar and service workers are less able to work at home, and must choose between health and livelihood. They lack sick pay for self-isolation after exposure, experience more closure of relevant sectors and job loss and lack access to affordable healthcare.”
What occurs between pandemics—the care taking and maintenance of social institutions—is critical. This is what helps us weather and recover from crisis.
“What occurs between pandemics—the care taking and maintenance of social institutions—is critical. This is what helps us weather and recover from crisis. #Healthcare #COVID19 ”
Axios reports on a number of studies comparing the workloads of mothers and fathers during COVID lockdowns.
“A recent Morning Consult poll conducted for the Times, show 80% of mothers say they're doing most of the home-schooling, 70% say they're handling the bulk of the housework, and 66% say they're responsible for all or most of the child care.”
Read more in Take The Lead on father care
Axios reports, “There's also a perception gap among parents. Nearly half of fathers say they're doing more of the home-schooling, but only 3% of mothers agree with that. In two-parent households in the U.K., mothers are getting just a third of the uninterrupted paid work hours as fathers, according to a University College London survey.”
“The effects of this lockdown are gendered," Sarah Lux-Lee, founder and CEO of Mindr, tells Axios.
It is possible, however, to intentionally level the parenting minefield. According to the Harvard Business Review, specific strategies can ensure two parents working form home equitably share duties.
“It is possible to intentionally level the #parenting minefield. According to the @HarvardBiz specific strategies can ensure two parents working form home equitably share duties.”
Avni Patel Thompson, founder and CEO of Modern Village, writes, “The nature of this crisis requires that we find safe and responsible ways to help each other out while upholding our responsibilities at work and at home. But with tempered expectations, a flexible approach and resourcefulness, you’ll be amazed at how we can all adapt. With any luck, we’ll emerge from this crisis even stronger and more collaborative: a modern take on an age-old approach to parenting.”
Dr. Muthulingam writes, “For centuries, women have long worked with infants strapped to backs farming and laboring. But providing safety to new parents and infants has traditionally been a societal responsibility, one in which everyone benefits by ushering in a healthy new generation.
“One of those societal responsibilities is ensuring parental leave. Adequate parental leave is not something we should preserve despite a public health crisis—parental leave is essential public health,” she writes. “As the value of essential work is increasingly appreciated, parental leave needs to be expanded to all workers as the country rebuilds from this crisis.”
“Dr. Muthulingam writes in @MsMagazine, “Adequate parental leave is not something we should preserve despite a public health crisis—parental leave is essential public health.” #PaidLeave”
That includes all parents— mothers and fathers.
