More people are juggling work and kids –

For many modern parents, the daily routine has become a persistent “tug of war” between professional obligations and family life. A new survey from the Pew Research Center highlights the widespread nature of this struggle, confirming that a significant number of working parents feel they are unable to give 100% of their attention to either their careers or their children.

The survey, which focused primarily on households where both parents work full time, reveals a notable gender gap in how these pressures are perceived. Among working mothers, two-thirds report that they are unable to give their full effort at home, while just over half feel they cannot give their all at work. Fathers report similar, though slightly lower, levels of strain: half of working fathers say they cannot give 100% at home, and about one-third feel they fall short of giving their all at their jobs.

Amber Petersen, a legal assistant at a small firm in Mason City, Iowa, embodies these challenges. As a mother of two—11-year-old Eden and 4-year-old Jack—Petersen often finds herself torn between professional tasks and urgent family needs. Whether it is receiving a call from a school nurse about a sick child or wishing she could chaperone a field trip instead of managing files and meetings, the conflict is constant.

For parents like Petersen, the inability to be in two places at once often comes with financial consequences. While her employer allows her to leave work immediately when a child is ill, she lacks paid sick leave, meaning every emergency results in a loss of income. This reality underscores the broader systemic pressure identified by the survey, as parents navigate the competing demands of their professional roles and their responsibilities at home.