Splitting parenting duties is the secret to a happy marriage, according to study

Do you and your partner share parenting duties?

If the answer is no, it’s high time you start.

A new Canadian study reveals that couples who share household chores and parenting duties fairly have a happier, blissful marriage. The study, which examined employed parents in Canada, surfaced that the women who carried more responsibilities at home (compared to their husband) felt less satisfied in their relationships, which often led to divorce.

Women: Still the Primary Caregiver at Home

It turns out that despite working full-time, working moms today still assume more parenting and household responsibilities than their husbands. Not only are they responsible for more tasks, they also perform more of the traditionally “less favourable” tasks, like cleaning the bathroom and after their children, while men take care of less demanding tasks like changing a light bulb or maintaining the car.

The study discovered that working moms with a larger share of parenting and household responsibilities are at risk of jeopardising the quality of their relationship – particularly if they perceive their parenting division as “unfair” or feel “trapped” in their role as a primary caregiver in the family.

Trapped: Being a “Good” Mother vs. Personal Ambitions

Traditionally, mothers are expected to fully cater to the household. Beyond actual physical chores, they’re also expected to be the primary caregiver to their children and responsible for all the planning required to keep the household running.

Needless to say, it’s a demanding role to fulfill, which has led to many mothers with young children to sacrifice parts of their professional and personal life – with many opting to switch to part-time employment instead. However, many women in such situations consequently report feeling dissatisfied and trapped in being solely defined and stifled by their caregiver role – a dissatisfaction that unfortunately bleeds into their marriage as well.

Unsurprisingly, relationship satisfaction ranks better among couples who equally, or fairly, share the parenting duties (irrespective of whether their partner works full-time, part-time, or overtime) indicating that men being equally invested in raising their kids appears to be the keystone to a happy, healthy marriage. So for the fathers and fathers-to-be out there: take notes!

Sarah Khan

Photo: Getty Images

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