Care.com Survey Finds One In Four Working Moms Cry Alone At Least Once A Week

- First-Ever Working Moms Tipping Point Survey from Care.com Reveals How Many are Overwhelmed with Work, Childcare & Household Chores -

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Care.com

Oct 23, 2014, 11:00 ET

WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- We all know moms are stressed. But just how much of that stress is taking a toll on their family, job, and their own emotional well-being? Care.com (www.care.com), the world's largest online destination for finding and managing family care, set out to determine how juggling work, childcare, and household duties were impacting a mom's life and her stress levels with a Working Moms Tipping Point Survey. After surveying nearly one thousand working moms, the findings show that the scales tip toward unbalanced, overly-stressed working moms who feel they're doing it all…and it's all too much.

Care.com Working Moms Tipping Point Survey reveals how many are overwhelmed with work, childcare, and household chores.

"From office meetings to the endless list of errands to the all-important role of raising kids, it's no surprise that an overwhelming majority (80 percent) of moms feel stressed about getting everything done," said Donna Levin, co-founder of Care.com. "What is surprising is that one in four working moms are so overwhelmed by work, childcare, and home responsibilities, that they're actually crying alone at least once a week from the stress of it all. It's clear from this survey that many moms are sacrificing more than just 'me' time in the juggling act of trying to do it all."

Care.com Working Moms Tipping Point Survey Highlights Include:

Work Doesn't End at the Office.
Working moms spend an average of 37 hours per week working, yet spend more than double that amount of time (80 hours per week) on chores, childcare, and home responsibilities. Regardless of whether they work part-time or full-time, more than a third of moms surveyed (35 percent) feel like they're always falling behind.

Juggling Work, Childcare and Chores Is Taking a Toll, Personally and Professionally.
At least once a week, one in four working moms cry by themselves, and a third fight with their partner and kids. When it comes to work, 11 percent call in sick to work or show up late at least once a week because of all the stress. Yet, nearly 1 in 3 working moms (29 percent) still won't hire outside help because they feel guilty if they're not able to do it all themselves.

Family Time and Personal Time are Being Sacrificed.
Although an overwhelming majority (87 percent) says it's very important to spend quality time with their family, more than half say they don't have enough time to do so. When it comes to their partner, working moms say they spend a mere six hours alone with them each week, and one in four cancel activities for themselves on a weekly basis.

Moms are Worried About the Long-Term Effects.
Approximately one in ten (11 percent) say they're afraid they're not making lasting connections with their children thanks to their hectic schedules. More than half (52 percent) are afraid they're missing out on being present in their family's everyday lives.

What Family Dinner?
Gone are the days where families sit down at dinner each night to recap their day: nearly half of families (44 percent) have dinner together less than five nights a week, and when they do, a third say dinners last no longer than 20 minutes.

So What Can Moms Do?

With the holiday season approaching – the season where 30 percent of working moms feel the most stressed – consider these tips from Care.com.

Ask for Help From Family & Friends.
Of the working moms surveyed, only one in four have asked for help from family members. In addition, 66 percent feel like their partner does less housework than they do. It's important to split the load and ask for (and accept!) help from family members and friends when it's possible.

Resist Comparing Yourself.
Nearly two-thirds of working moms (62 percent) think everyone else has an easier time getting everything done, and 28 percent feel like their friends have it much more together than they do. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on how you've progressed as a parent and what you've accomplished each day, even if it may seem like a minor task being crossed off your to-do list.

Consider Hiring Help.
Extra hands make a huge difference. The number one reason working moms decide to hire help is because they want to spend more time with their family, and three out of four who've done so say it's actually reduced their overall stress level too.

Visit Care.com/stress to find more information on the Care.com Working Moms Tipping Point survey and resources to help manage work, childcare, and home responsibilities, including:

- Nearly 300 Stress-Busting Tips: stress scenarios solved and things to do when you're stressed
- Articles on Fighting Holiday Stress: making the holidays go smoothly and how your babysitter can help
- Work & Relationship Advice: managing sandwich generation stress and how to make your job easier

About Care.com
Care.com (NYSE: CRCM) is the world's largest online destination for finding and managing family care. As of June 2014, the Company had 11.8 million members spanning 16 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and parts of Western Europe. Care.com's web and mobile platforms enable families to connect to care providers and caregiving services in a reliable and easy way, while also helping care providers find meaningful work. Through its consumer matching platform, tools and resources, Care.com allows families to make more informed hiring decisions. The Company also enables families to pay caregivers electronically online or via mobile device and also subscribe to Care.com HomePay to manage their household payroll and tax matters. As a further extension of its marketplace for families, Care.com also sells curated products for children, through Citrus Lane, the leading social commerce platform designed for moms. The Company also enables families to connect with one another locally through forums via BigTent, an online community platform with more than 1 million registered members nationwide and over 1,700 parenting groups. In addition, Care.com serves hundreds of thousands of families whose employers provide access to Care.com's consumer matching platform, as well as backup dependent care, as a corporate benefit through the company's Workplace Solutions unit. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, Care.com has offices in Berlin, Austin, New York City and Mountain View.