May I Speak With The Man of the House?

August 15th, 2008

While women still do the majority of work in the home, numerous studies indicate that men are getting more involved. Scott Coltrane, a sociologist who studies family dynamics, says that compared to the 1960s, the portion of housework done by men in couples has doubled, with men performing 30% of the housework. Men have also tripled the amount of childcare they do since the 1960s, Coltrane reports. In the kitchen, a recent study by The NPD Group found that more men than ever are preparing dinner — 18% in 2007, compared to 14% in 2003. Some of those men are watching the Food Network, which draws 40% male viewership during prime time according to Nielsen. A study for Edelman conducted by StrategyOne is keeping an eye on these trends. “Pride in My Home: A Perspective From Today’s Men,” found that among men who live alone or in a couple, 76% reported being primarily or partly responsible for buying groceries, and 63% reported being primarily or partly responsible for purchasing both cleaning products and laundry supplies. It would be nice to think men are being more active in the home because they are fair-minded and enlightened, but with more women working full time and their incomes rivaling or eclipsing their husbands’, the days are long gone when a husband was the sole provider who could expect the missus to be waiting at the door with his pipe and slippers. (more…)

Entry Filed under: Uncategorized