2003-06 Married Parents' Use of Time — 2008-05-08

Married mothers employed full time were more likely to do household activities and provide childcare on an average day than were married fathers employed full time, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. While married parents spent their time in different ways, factors such as their employment status, the age of their youngest child, and their spouse’s employment status were related to the amount of time they spent in selected activities and their likelihood of doing those activities. The American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data in this news release focus on the activities of married parents who live in the same household as their spouse and children under 18. The data refer to the amount of time these parents spent doing activities on an "average day," a term that reflects the average distribution of time across all 7 days of the week.