It is never easy to break up, but it can be challenging when children are involved. After parents split up, a new study examines how children spend their time and shows gender inequities.
The study authors analyzed time diary data from six waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, which monitors 10,000 children and their families over time. Researchers discovered that mothers spend twice as much time with their children after separation. Children’s time is influenced by gender, too: Boys have fewer educational activities and more unstructured time than girls.
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The study results, however, do not surprise them. After splitting from their partners, mothers spend up to four years spending the same amount of time with their children as they did before. Despite these findings, experts say parents shouldn’t interpret them as meaning their children will suffer in the event of a divorce.
Melissa Santos, an associate professor of pediatrics, told Yahoo Life the findings weren’t surprising. Kids do better in the long run when parents divorce or separate than when they remain in a relationship with constant conflict and disagreement. But the road to those benefits is not easy.
As a result of the study, Santos notes, “society still places the primary burden of caregiving on mothers.” In the pandemic, we saw this gender effect manifest with women leaving the workforce, reducing their roles, or taking more time off to care for their children, even if married.
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To make a breakup as minimally disruptive for kids as possible, Santos recommends doing the following:
- Open communication is essential
- They should maintain their routines
- Ensure that your children have a safe space to express themselves
- Make fun a priority
- Allow them to make small decisions
- Get in touch with your child’s pediatrician