Category
parenting
17 articles on this topic.
Schools Call Mothers First: What the New Study Shows
A US field experiment confirms it: schools call the mother first, even when the father is listed as more available. Here's what that means for your household.
Read article →Mental Load and Neurodivergence: The Double Load Mothers Carry
ADHD mothers, neurodivergent children: the mental load doesn't just exist, it multiplies. Here's why this double load is real, what recent studies show, and how to lighten it without guilt or carrying it all alone.
Read article →Weaponized Incompetence: The Mental Load Trap
"I'm no good at this, you do it so much better." Weaponized incompetence is pretending — sometimes without even realizing it — that you can't do a task, so the other person ends up doing it. Here's what it is, why it dumps the mental load onto one person in the household, and how to step out of it without turning the conversation into an accusation.
Read article →The Default Parent: What It Is and How to Stop
In almost every household, one person becomes the single point of contact — the one the school, the doctor and the other parent turn to by reflex. That's the default parent, the invisible core of the mental load. Here's what it is, why it's almost always the mother (she reports 71% of the household's mental tasks, University of Bath), and how to step out of the role.
Read article →Summer Childcare: The Mental Load Nobody Counts
School breaks for eight weeks. Your annual leave covers five. That impossible equation is almost always solved by the same parent — silently, in their head, from the end of June. Here's why organizing summer childcare is a mental load in its own right, and 5 ways to actually share it.
Read article →Additional Birth Leave 2026: What About Mental Load?
France's new additional birth leave takes effect on 1 July 2026: 1 to 2 months of paid leave per parent, set by the decree of 30 May 2026. It's a real step forward for time spent with the child. But leave frees up time — it doesn't redistribute the mental load. And it could even reproduce a well-documented asymmetry: in France, 94% of parents on full-time parental leave were women (Drees). A breakdown nine days before it begins.
Read article →Mental Load: Fathers and Mothers Don't See It the Same Way
In Quebec, 77% of mothers say they carry the mental load, but 45% of fathers believe it's shared equally. Unpacking a perception gap — and how to close it as a couple.
Read article →Summer holiday mental load: how to actually rest
According to Ifop, 71% of mothers on holiday with their kids packed the children's suitcase, versus 12% of fathers, and 70% of women end the summer tired, versus 57% of men. Here's why holidays don't ease the mental load — and how to genuinely share it this year.
Read article →Mental Load: How to Avoid Passing It On to Your Children
According to Ined (December 2024), by age 10, girls already do more domestic tasks than boys. And per Ipsos, 60% of 8-to-16-year-olds say their mother does the most at home. Here's how to stop passing the mental load on to the next generation.
Read article →Mental Load and Teenagers: What Doesn't Get Lighter
Many parents expect to breathe again once their kids hit adolescence. It rarely works that way. The mental load doesn't disappear — it shifts shape, shifts domains, and sometimes gets heavier. Here is exactly what eases, what doesn't, and how to redistribute responsibility without falling into the 'reminder trap.'
Read article →Mental load vs. emotional labor: the difference
Thinking for the household, feeling for everyone in it: mental load and emotional labor are not the same fatigue. Here's exactly what sets them apart, why one feeds the other, and how to lighten each one separately before they collapse into burnout.
Read article →Earning More Doesn't Cut Mothers' Mental Load
A US study of 2,133 parents reveals an uncomfortable fact: a higher salary lets mothers outsource childcare and chores, but does nothing to reduce the mental load. Here's what "gendered cognitive stickiness" means — and what to do about it at home.
Read article →Sunday night: why parents dread it more than anyone
On Sunday night, you're not stressed about the week ahead. You're running a full mental inventory of everything coming. Here's why your brain switches gears at 6 p.m., why mothers carry it heaviest — and 5 methods to defuse the Sunday night spiral.
Read article →Signs of Mental Load: How to Tell If You're Carrying Too Much
Constant fatigue, irritability, endless mental lists… What if it's mental load? Discover the 10 telltale signs and what to do before burnout sets in.
Read article →France's New Birth Leave 2026: A Game-Changer for Parental Mental Load
France's new supplementary birth leave takes effect July 1, 2026 — up to two months of paid leave for each parent. Here's what this reform means for the mental load of new families.
Read article →Mental Load During School Holidays: A Parent's Guide
Easter holidays start in a few days. Activities, meals, screens, logistics… Mental load spikes during school breaks. A practical guide to organizing the 2 weeks and actually resting.
Read article →Parental burnout: 1 in 3 mothers of young children say they're affected
34% of French mothers of children aged 0 to 7 say they are affected by parental burnout. What the numbers really measure, the warning signs and practical solutions.
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