The picture is less clear for women; parenthood has been linked to greater happiness in some studies and to less happiness in other studies, likely because women tend to engage in child rearing tasks that center upon both routine and play, while men tend to spend a greater
proportion of their caregiving time on play.2 In addition, married parents tend to have relatively greater happiness than their non-married counterparts given the increased social
support available to married adults, lower
financial strain, and greater help with chores and housework.