The truth about single moms
TRALEE PEARCE
Globe and Mail
November 27, 2008

We often picture single moms as time-strapped jugglers of work and child care, with the kids getting the short end of the stick. But the children are not the ones losing out, according to new research into the amount and quality of time American mothers spend with their children.

Researchers at the University of Maryland combed through data collected in 2003 and 2004 in a national study called the American Time Use Survey. The study is based on responses from 1,821 single mothers and 4,309 married mothers, all with children under 13 years of age. The total time devoted to child care included routine care, such as feeding a child, interactive activity, such as helping with homework, and other time, such as when mom cooks dinner while the child plays nearby.

The study's results showed that single mothers provide at least 90 per cent of the daily child-rearing time that married moms do.

Before adjusting for factors including employment, cohabitation and education, the researchers found that married moms spent an average of 7.2 hours daily caring for their children. Single moms living in common-law relationships spent 6.9 hours. The rest of the single mom demographic – those divorced or separated or never-married – spent 6.5 hours. ….