Episode dated 05/Feb/2007

The National Study of the Changing Workplace was done in 2002, but remains one of the more comprehensive studies of its kind. I've been on this 'deduce your own' kick with studies lately, and thought I would take a fresh look at the study from the perspective of the Childfree Issues project.
Interestingly,

the combined time that spouses with children spend caring for and doing things with their children on workdays has actually increased—from 5.2 hours in 1977 to 6.2 hours today.

despite the fact that dual-earning couples have increased from 66% to 78% in the same timeframe. This is notable because it contradicts the common assumption that the rise of the working woman has met with the unfortunate side effect of latch-key kids. Perhaps we are simply more cognizant of 'quality time' than we were in the past. Of course, this does not negate the possibility that the support demands of mothers were also needed back then.

Since 1977, fathers have increased the time they spend on workdays doing household chores by approximately 42 minutes, while mothers have reduced their time by the same amount, although they still do more than fathers. The amount of time, then, that couples with children spend on household work has not changed—what has changed is how that labor is divided. In other home activities such as cooking and child care, women are still much more likely to shoulder greater overall responsibility, though fathers appear to be taking more responsibility than they used to.

These numbers are less surprising, and d weigh in favor of giving more benefits to working mothers. However, the fact that these arrangements are the result of the choices of married couples still remains. The indication that the shifting balance may reflect a trend may well mean that demands to supplement what fathers aren't doing may someday be moot.

I think that is one thing that both sides of the issue can wish for together.

I will continue to cover this study, and others I find, in the coming weeks.