Why Do Mothers Experience More Stress Than Fathers

Of course, all parents and households are different and the way some partners deal with stress is different from others. However, research shows that, in general, fathers do not suffer from the same kind of stress as mothers when it comes to caring for their children. 

Scientific results indicate that women are more unhappy with the responsibilities of parenthood than men. Why is this so? Do you agree?

Parenting implies a number of exhausting obligations. The routines, obligations and lack of time for themselves can become overwhelming. This seems much more complicated for women than for men.

We believe this has to do with women’s need for perfection and the lack of help from their partners.

What happens if two people with the same routine are not on the same wavelength? In this situation, one person will probably do most of the work. When a mother notices that her partner is not helping her or doing things right, it can become stressful.

When it comes to parenting, most dads don’t usually have to take care of their kids for long periods of time. It is usually more temporary and does not lead to stress.

They know that when Mom arrives he can hand over his shift. However, this does not work the other way around. When mother is busy with the children and daddy arrives, she is not relieved of her duties.

What do the data on stressed mothers say?

The American University of Cornell conducted a survey through the Minnesota Population Center . The study began by analyzing the amount of time both men and women spend caring for their children. This study was enough to show the huge differences.

According to the research results, not only do women spend more time caring for the children, but this is also an exhausting process. If the process was simple and completely satisfying, the time we spend on it wouldn’t really have a negative effect on our nerves.

In these cases, however, women appeared to be more stressed and less happy than men.

The researchers examined 12,000 cases. The feelings of the parents were studied according to the use of their time. The research was conducted over a period of three years.

The indicators they studied were the amount of time and the different types of activities performed by mothers and fathers. They also took into account the environment in which the parents looked after the children.

Because most of the responsibilities of parenthood are left on the mother, the time they have to enjoy with their children is reduced. Mothers were also not given time for themselves. Fathers seem to stick to their leisure activities more often than mothers.

Mothers enjoy less time with their children

Let’s analyze the following situation: a father comes home after a hard day’s work. Meanwhile, the mother prepares dinner and the children watch television.

What does the father do? Usually he chooses the option to rest or sit with the kids for a while.

However, the mother has no time for that. She has to continue cooking, then serve the food and then clean up the kitchen. By the time they’re done, the stress has already built up from all the household chores, the kids’ chores, and maybe her own work as well.

Unfortunately, after all this, they cannot take advantage of “quality time”, neither with their children nor with their partner.

Situations like this can be repeated on different levels. For example, if a father has to take care of his child , he probably takes him to the cinema or they go for an ice cream or they just play in the playground.

Mothers cannot do this because they have to keep working to please the other family members.

Mothers always have other tasks besides parenting

“When mothers are with the children, they are usually alone. When fathers are with the children, there are usually other adults around to help if necessary. This helps us understand why fathers are less stressed by their children.”

– Ann Meier – Sociologist

It is also common for mothers to ask their partners to take the children to the park while she is doing laundry or cleaning up the house. As always, we sacrifice ourselves for our family and end up being unhappy with something that really gives us great pleasure.

Being a mother doesn’t make us unhappy. It is the way we perform motherhood – through the demands placed on our shoulders.

The need we have to make sure that the family does not lack is precisely what takes away time for ourselves. Time when we can enjoy them.