Couples Struggle with Division of Labor and Child Care Duties in the Home

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published March 4, 2009 at 7:57 AM PST

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

Should gender determine the division of labor at home? As more women work, families are trying to find a balance with child rearing and duties at home. The concept of equally shared parenting is bei

Originally aired on July 9, 2008.

Maureen Cavanaugh: Many couples claim to have a 50-50 relationship. They make decisions together, they plan for the future together and every once in a while, they can even both agree on what to have for dinner.

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But when it comes to who is making that dinner, the 50-50 thing often breaks down. And it positively shatters when children enter the picture.

The division of labor on the homefront has become quite a subject of controversy. And so far, it looks like women are still carrying most of the housekeeping load, even in cases where they work as many hours as their male partners.

Last summer, Tom Fudge talked about the modern day division of labor and parenting in the home with marriage and family counselor David Peters, SDSU Women's Studies professor Ester Rothblum, and Jessica DeGroot of the ThirdPath Institute. Here's that interview.

Guests

David Peters , marriage and family therapist with a private practice in Mission Valley.
Esther Rothblum , professor of Women's Studies at San Diego State University.
Jessica DeGroot , founder and president of the ThirdPath Institute , which helps people find new ways to redesign work in order to create more time for family.