Table 2. Time spent in primary activities (1) by married mothers and fathers with own household children under 18 by employment status of self and spouse, average for the combined years 2003-06
Table 2. Time spent in primary activities (1) by married mothers and fathers with own household children under 18 by employment status of self and
spouse, average for the combined years 2003-06
Differences in married mothers'
Average hours per day and fathers' time use on an
average day (hours) (2)
Activity Both spouses work Mother employed part Mother not employed Mother Mother not
full time time and father and father employed Both employed employed
employed full time full time spouses part time and father
work full and father employed
time employed full time
Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers full time
Total, all activities............................. 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Personal care activities........................ 8.97 8.63 9.05 8.46 9.38 8.72 .34 .59 .67
Sleeping..................................... 8.15 8.04 8.28 7.89 8.73 8.10 .11 .39 .63
Household activities............................ 2.08 1.39 2.62 1.21 3.69 1.05 .69 1.41 2.64
Housework.................................... .91 .28 1.16 .20 1.71 .16 .63 .96 1.55
Food preparation and cleanup................. .79 .32 1.01 .31 1.45 .22 .47 .69 1.23
Lawn and garden care......................... .10 .25 .12 .22 .14 .21 -.14 -.11 -.07
Purchasing goods and services................... .62 .39 .77 .35 .81 .40 .23 .42 .41
Grocery shopping............................. .14 .07 .19 .05 .24 .08 .07 .14 .15
Consumer goods purchases, except grocery
shopping.................................... .38 .25 .45 .24 .46 .26 .13 .21 .20
Caring for and helping household members........ 1.23 .81 1.92 .87 2.57 .86 .42 1.05 1.71
Caring for and helping household children.... 1.20 .79 1.88 .84 2.54 .83 .42 1.04 1.71
Physical care.............................. .52 .25 .78 .28 1.10 .26 .27 .49 .84
Education-related activities............... .10 .07 .16 .05 .25 .06 .03 .11 .19
Reading to/with children................... .04 .02 .08 .03 .09 .03 .02 .05 .07
Playing/doing hobbies with children........ .19 .23 .36 .26 .54 .30 -.04 .10 .24
Working and work-related activities (3)......... 5.14 5.98 2.72 6.17 .11 6.26 -.83 -3.46 -6.15
Working (3).................................. 5.12 5.94 2.67 6.13 .03 6.23 -.81 -3.45 -6.20
Leisure and sports.............................. 2.92 3.73 3.39 3.64 4.09 3.60 -.81 -.25 .49
Socializing and communicating................ .65 .61 .79 .65 .90 .68 .04 .14 .22
Watching television.......................... 1.44 2.05 1.63 1.90 2.15 1.90 -.61 -.27 .25
Participating in sports, exercise, and
recreation.................................. .16 .29 .22 .30 .24 .30 -.13 -.08 -.07
Travel.......................................... 1.41 1.47 1.42 1.51 1.17 1.46 -.06 -.09 -.29
Travel related to caring for and helping
household children.......................... .24 .14 .29 .11 .29 .09 .10 .17 .20
Other activities, not elsewhere classified...... 1.63 1.61 2.11 1.79 2.17 1.66 .03 .33 .51
1 A primary activity refers to an individual's main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included.
2 In each employment category, differences are calculated by subtracting fathers' average hours from mothers' average hours.
3 Estimates include a small amount of work time done by persons who do not meet the ATUS definition of employed.
NOTE: Data refer to persons 15 years and over.
Last Modified Date: May 08, 2008
United States Department of Labor
