---
title: "What’s Best for the Children?"
description: "That's the percentage of American adults who say an at-home mother is the ideal situation for children; a nearly identical proportion (41%) say a mother working part-time is ideal."
date: "2007-10-01"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2007/10/01/whats-best-for-the-children/"
---

# What’s Best for the Children?

About four-in-ten (42%) adults say an at-home mother is the ideal situation for children; a nearly identical proportion (41%) say a mother working part-time is ideal and just 9% say a mother working full-time is ideal for children. Men are more likely than women to consider an at-home mother the ideal situation for children. The same gender difference is found between moms and dads with children under age 18; fathers of minor age children are more likely than mothers to consider an at-home mom the ideal situation for children. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/536/working-women)