Juggling work and family tough for dads too

By Solarina Ho, Reuters

May 25, 2009





With Father's Day fast approaching, many dads admit they are struggling with how to juggle long days at the office and quality time with their family.

A fifth of the 248 Canadian fathers questioned in a recent survey said time away from home because of work is their biggest concern because they may miss important family events.

"I think it's tough for all working parents... Trying to juggle is a difficult task," said Patrick Sullivan, president of job site Workopolis.com, which conducted the poll.

With Father's Day fast approaching, many dads admit they are struggling with how to juggle long days at the office and quality time with their family.

Fifteen percent were concerned about finding time for chores, while 11 percent worried about being unable to turn off work at home.

Sixteen percent of fathers in families with an income of over $100,000 said they had difficulty letting go of work at the end of the day. Many fathers also said they felt it was difficult getting parental leave or time off.

Despite the struggles, 40 percent of working dads still claim the family-work balance is manageable, a sharp contrast to the five percent of women who could say the same in a 2007 survey of mothers.

Fathers in Quebec claimed to be the most in control, with more than half of those surveyed citing no challenges. Only three percent said time away from family was an issue. Western dads seemed more in tune with mothers, with nearly a quarter agreeing that finding time for chores was the biggest issue.

About a third of dads took their own fathers' counsel about careers to heart and are happy with the outcome, while another 18 percent chose not to listen.

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