First-of-its-Kind National Parent Survey Highlights What American Families Want

New Practice Lab Releases Public Use Data File and Insights for Policymakers on Time, Care, Work, and Leave—Showing That Partisan Either/Or Debates Are Not Centered on Families

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New Practice Lab, an award-winning team out of New America, today released the results of a first-of-its-kind National Parent Survey. The team asked parents of young kids across the country about their ideal time use, work schedule, care arrangement, leave use, and hopes for the future—finding that parents want more time with their kids, that money gets in the way of families' time, and that most parents don't have the work or child care schedule they actually want. The newly published dataset and insights offer a critical look into the current state of parenting in the United States—and a roadmap for policymakers to respond.

"Parents with young children want time. They want flexibility. They want wages that keep up and to be genuinely present—for bedtimes and mealtimes, for unplanned afternoons, for the kind of play that doesn't fit on a calendar," said Tara Dawson McGuinness, Executive Director of the New Practice Lab. "Too many parents are forced to choose between showing up for their kids and making enough to provide for them. There is a gap between what families actually say they need and the public policies we are offering to support them in raising their kids."

While various survey instruments poll parents and caregivers on issues of well-being, work, child care, and current time use, until now no comprehensive national data existed on parents' ideal scenarios.

Finances feed into the stress felt by families. Two-thirds (66 percent) of parents said higher hourly wages would be the thing that could most help; a majority of respondents identified financial constraints as the primary barrier preventing families from spending time the way they want. Nearly three in four parents (72 percent) want more quality time with children—universal across income groups, geography, race and ethnicity, and gender. When asked what they would do with time, the overwhelming response was 'play.'

"We know that play is a critical part of healthy physical, mental, and social development in childhood," said Jen DeMelo, Vice-President, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at KABOOM!. "The 2026 Parent Survey confirms with quantifiable data that parents want their families to spend more time outdoors so their kids can be active and experience all of the benefits of play. We hope that bringing more visibility to these findings will increase opportunities for parents to get the support they need to incorporate more play into the daily lives of kids."

"The survey data reframes a debate that has long been trapped in partisan corners. For too long we have been asking families what they think of our policy solutions, not what they need," said Amira Boland, New Practice Lab Chief of Staff. "From rural Texas to urban Illinois, families face many of the same constraints. We need more creative public policies, especially as families want more choice in their work and care arrangements for children at different ages."

Other important insights include that nearly 1 in 3 parents (28 percent) of young children also care for an aging or adult family member, nearly one in four (23 percent) of the lowest-income parents say lack of transportation prevents them from spending their time the way they would like vs. only 2 percent of the highest-income parents, and a majority of parents—across income and men and women—wish they had more leave when a child was born. This is consistent with the finding that more than 50 percent of parents prefer themself or their spouse as the primary care giver for a child under one.

The National Parent Survey seeks to replicate similar polls in high-income countries, such as the UK's annual National Parent Survey and Australia's Parenting Today survey.

To learn more:
Read the full report here.
Download the public use data file here.

About the New Practice Lab
The New Practice Lab is a team of designers, social scientists, policy experts, and technologists building tighter links between policymakers and the families they serve. Part policy research group, part technology product developers, part pro bono consultancy, the New Practice Lab works alongside government partners across the country to build and improve policies, public service delivery systems, and technologies to better support families with young children. The New Practice Lab's work to date has supported more than 2.8 million Americans. New Practice Lab is based in New America. Learn more at: newamerica.org/new-practice-lab.

About New America:
Our mission is to generate big ideas and bold solutions for a new America. We envision an America that represents and serves the public, where institutions work for all Americans, where workers, families, and communities can thrive, and where people are secure from existential threats. Learn more at newamerica.org.

SOURCE New Practice Lab