Married mothers employed full time are more likely to do household activities and provide childcare on an average day than are married fathers employed full time, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Forty-three percent of married mothers and 88 percent of married fathers were employed full time from 2003 to 2006. Full-time workers are those who usually work 35 hours or more per week.

Among full-time workers who are parents of children under 18, married mothers were more likely to provide childcare to household children than were married fathers. On an average day, 71 percent of these mothers and 54 percent of these fathers spent time caring for and helping household children.

In households with children under 18, married mothers who were employed full time were more likely to do household activities--such as housework, cooking, or lawn care--on an average day than were fathers who were employed full time (89 versus 64 percent).

In households with children under 18 where both spouses were employed full time, mothers spent an average of 2.1 hours per day doing household activities, while fathers spent about 1.4 hours. However, fathers in these households spent more time doing household activities than did fathers whose spouses were not employed--0.3 hour (20 minutes) more per day.