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American Time Use Survey
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Table A-7A. Time spent in primary activities by married mothers and fathers by employment status of self and spouse, average for the combined years 2015-19 Own household child under age 18
Activity Average hours per day Differences in married mothers' and fathers' time use on an average day (hours)(1)
Both spouses work full time Mother employed part time and father employed full time Mother not employed and father employed full time Both spouses work full time Mother employed part time and father employed full time Mother not employed and father employed full time
Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers

Total, all activities

 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 (2)- (2)- (2)-

Personal care activities

 9.20 8.63 9.21 8.60 9.59 8.90 0.56 0.61 0.69

Sleeping(3)

 8.37 8.04 8.49 7.99 8.93 8.27 0.33 0.50 0.66

Household activities

 1.88 1.37 2.71 1.30 3.82 1.00 0.51 1.41 2.82

Housework

 0.73 0.27 1.05 0.22 1.60 0.16 0.47 0.83 1.43

Food preparation and cleanup

 0.83 0.42 1.22 0.41 1.75 0.30 0.41 0.81 1.45

Lawn and garden care

 0.05 0.24 0.08 0.23 0.11 0.19 -0.19 -0.15 -0.08

Purchasing goods and services

 0.49 0.34 0.56 0.29 0.64 0.35 0.16 0.27 0.30

Grocery shopping

 0.14 0.07 0.17 0.05 0.22 0.07 0.07 0.12 0.14

Consumer goods purchases, except grocery shopping

 0.27 0.21 0.30 0.20 0.34 0.22 0.07 0.10 0.13

Caring for and helping household members

 1.43 0.94 1.97 0.89 2.73 0.88 0.49 1.08 1.85

Caring for and helping household children

 1.41 0.91 1.95 0.88 2.71 0.86 0.49 1.07 1.85

Physical care

 0.61 0.31 0.71 0.29 1.01 0.23 0.30 0.43 0.78

Education-related activities

 0.10 0.07 0.23 0.04 0.28 0.06 0.02 0.19 0.22

Reading to/with children

 0.05 0.03 0.08 0.04 0.09 0.03 0.01 0.04 0.06

Playing/doing hobbies with children

 0.28 0.27 0.39 0.28 0.63 0.33 0.01 0.11 0.30

Working and work-related activities(4)

 5.10 6.14 2.92 6.33 0.05 6.37 -1.04 -3.41 -6.32

Working(4)

 5.08 6.11 2.88 6.31 0.02 6.35 -1.02 -3.42 -6.33

Leisure and sports

 2.86 3.60 3.19 3.45 3.71 3.31 -0.74 -0.25 0.39

Socializing and communicating

 0.57 0.57 0.65 0.61 0.81 0.71 0.01 0.03 0.10

Watching television

 1.45 1.98 1.45 1.81 1.84 1.68 -0.53 -0.36 0.16

Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation

 0.19 0.28 0.25 0.33 0.25 0.25 -0.09 -0.07 (2)-

Travel

 1.40 1.41 1.40 1.45 1.17 1.45 (2)- -0.05 -0.28

Travel related to caring for and helping household children

 0.26 0.16 0.33 0.14 0.32 0.09 0.10 0.18 0.23

Other activities, not elsewhere classified

 1.63 1.57 2.04 1.70 2.28 1.74 0.06 0.34 0.54

Footnotes
(1) In each employment category, differences are calculated by subtracting fathers' average hours from mothers' average hours.
(2) Estimate is approximately zero.
(3) Includes naps and spells of sleeplessness.
(4) Estimates include a small amount of work time done by persons who do not meet the American Time Use Survey definition of employed.

NOTE: A primary activity refers to an individual's main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. Data refer to persons 15 years and over. For technical information about the American Time Use Survey, see the ATUS User's Guide: https://www.bls.gov/tus/atususersguide.pdf.
Source: American Time Use Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table A-7B. Time spent in primary activities by married mothers and fathers by employment status of self and spouse, average for the combined years 2015-19 Youngest own household child under age 6
Activity Average hours per day Differences in married mothers' and fathers' time use on an average day (hours)(1)
Both spouses work full time Mother employed part time and father employed full time Mother not employed and father employed full time Both spouses work full time Mother employed part time and father employed full time Mother not employed and father employed full time
Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers

Total, all activities

 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 (2)- (2)- (2)-

Personal care activities

 9.19 8.59 9.28 8.64 9.57 8.92 0.60 0.65 0.64

Sleeping(3)

 8.41 8.03 8.64 8.07 8.98 8.34 0.37 0.56 0.64

Household activities

 1.74 1.42 2.47 1.21 3.53 0.96 0.32 1.26 2.58

Housework

 0.65 0.28 0.89 0.23 1.49 0.18 0.37 0.66 1.31

Food preparation and cleanup

 0.81 0.46 1.23 0.44 1.68 0.29 0.35 0.80 1.38

Lawn and garden care

 0.04 0.19 0.04 0.17 0.08 0.15 -0.16 -0.13 -0.06

Purchasing goods and services

 0.44 0.30 0.47 0.25 0.63 0.33 0.14 0.22 0.29

Grocery shopping

 0.13 0.07 0.16 0.05 0.19 0.08 0.06 0.11 0.12

Consumer goods purchases, except grocery shopping

 0.24 0.18 0.24 0.16 0.36 0.22 0.06 0.08 0.13

Caring for and helping household members

 2.44 1.56 3.05 1.33 3.50 1.17 0.88 1.72 2.33

Caring for and helping household children

 2.42 1.54 3.05 1.31 3.49 1.15 0.88 1.74 2.34

Physical care

 1.21 0.60 1.34 0.50 1.43 0.36 0.61 0.84 1.07

Education-related activities

 0.08 0.06 0.15 0.03 0.23 0.04 0.02 0.13 0.19

Reading to/with children

 0.09 0.07 0.16 0.07 0.13 0.05 0.02 0.09 0.08

Playing/doing hobbies with children

 0.65 0.57 0.83 0.50 0.98 0.52 0.08 0.33 0.46

Working and work-related activities(4)

 4.82 5.92 2.73 6.22 0.05 6.21 -1.10 -3.49 -6.16

Working(4)

 4.81 5.89 2.68 6.18 (2)- 6.19 -1.09 -3.51 -6.18

Leisure and sports

 2.44 3.35 2.96 3.35 3.40 3.26 -0.91 -0.40 0.13

Socializing and communicating

 0.58 0.59 0.60 0.67 0.79 0.74 -0.02 -0.07 0.05

Watching television

 1.17 1.79 1.51 1.58 1.65 1.64 -0.61 -0.07 0.01

Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation

 0.19 0.30 0.26 0.35 0.23 0.25 -0.11 -0.09 -0.02

Travel

 1.32 1.34 1.17 1.31 1.10 1.40 -0.02 -0.14 -0.31

Travel related to caring for and helping household children

 0.33 0.19 0.33 0.12 0.30 0.08 0.13 0.21 0.22

Other activities, not elsewhere classified

 1.61 1.53 1.86 1.68 2.22 1.74 0.08 0.18 0.48

Footnotes
(1) In each employment category, differences are calculated by subtracting fathers' average hours from mothers' average hours.
(2) Estimate is approximately zero.
(3) Includes naps and spells of sleeplessness.
(4) Estimates include a small amount of work time done by persons who do not meet the American Time Use Survey definition of employed.

NOTE: A primary activity refers to an individual's main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. Data refer to persons 15 years and over. For technical information about the American Time Use Survey, see the ATUS User's Guide: https://www.bls.gov/tus/atususersguide.pdf.
Source: American Time Use Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table A-7C. Time spent in primary activities by married mothers and fathers by employment status of self and spouse, average for the combined years 2015-19 Youngest own household child age 6-17
Activity Average hours per day Differences in married mothers' and fathers' time use on an average day (hours)(1)
Both spouses work full time Mother employed part time and father employed full time Mother not employed and father employed full time Both spouses work full time Mother employed part time and father employed full time Mother not employed and father employed full time
Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers Mothers Fathers

Total, all activities

 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 (2)- (2)- (2)-

Personal care activities

 9.21 8.67 9.15 8.57 9.63 8.87 0.54 0.59 0.76

Sleeping(3)

 8.35 8.05 8.39 7.93 8.85 8.19 0.30 0.46 0.66

Household activities

 1.98 1.34 2.87 1.36 4.26 1.05 0.63 1.51 3.21

Housework

 0.79 0.26 1.16 0.22 1.77 0.15 0.53 0.94 1.62

Food preparation and cleanup

 0.84 0.39 1.21 0.39 1.87 0.31 0.45 0.82 1.56

Lawn and garden care

 0.06 0.27 0.10 0.27 0.16 0.23 -0.22 -0.17 -0.08

Purchasing goods and services

 0.53 0.36 0.62 0.33 0.66 0.36 0.17 0.30 0.30

Grocery shopping

 0.14 0.08 0.17 0.05 0.26 0.07 0.07 0.13 0.19

Consumer goods purchases, except grocery shopping

 0.30 0.22 0.33 0.23 0.33 0.21 0.07 0.10 0.11

Caring for and helping household members

 0.76 0.52 1.24 0.58 1.57 0.55 0.24 0.66 1.01

Caring for and helping household children

 0.72 0.48 1.21 0.57 1.53 0.52 0.24 0.64 1.01

Physical care

 0.21 0.11 0.29 0.14 0.37 0.08 0.11 0.15 0.28

Education-related activities

 0.11 0.08 0.28 0.05 0.35 0.08 0.02 0.22 0.27

Reading to/with children

 0.02 0.01 0.03 0.02 0.04 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02

Playing/doing hobbies with children

 0.04 0.07 0.09 0.11 0.10 0.13 -0.03 -0.02 -0.03

Working and work-related activities(4)

 5.29 6.30 3.06 6.41 0.06 6.55 -1.00 -3.35 -6.49

Working(4)

 5.27 6.25 3.02 6.40 (5)- 6.53 -0.98 -3.37 (5)-

Leisure and sports

 3.14 3.78 3.36 3.51 4.17 3.37 -0.64 -0.16 0.80

Socializing and communicating

 0.57 0.55 0.68 0.57 0.84 0.68 0.02 0.11 0.17

Watching television

 1.64 2.12 1.41 1.98 2.13 1.72 -0.48 -0.56 0.40

Participating in sports, exercise, and recreation

 0.20 0.27 0.25 0.31 0.28 0.24 -0.07 -0.06 0.04

Travel

 1.46 1.45 1.55 1.54 1.29 1.51 0.01 0.01 -0.22

Travel related to caring for and helping household children

 0.22 0.14 0.32 0.16 0.34 0.10 0.08 0.17 0.24

Other activities, not elsewhere classified

 1.63 1.59 2.16 1.71 2.36 1.74 0.05 0.45 0.62

Footnotes
(1) In each employment category, differences are calculated by subtracting fathers' average hours from mothers' average hours.
(2) Estimate is approximately zero.
(3) Includes naps and spells of sleeplessness.
(4) Estimates include a small amount of work time done by persons who do not meet the American Time Use Survey definition of employed.
(5) Estimate is suppressed because it does not meet the American Time Use Survey publication standards.

NOTE: A primary activity refers to an individual's main activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included. Data refer to persons 15 years and over. For technical information about the American Time Use Survey, see the ATUS User's Guide: https://www.bls.gov/tus/atususersguide.pdf.
Source: American Time Use Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

Last Modified Date: June 25, 2020