Even though it’s not possible for many families, a majority of Americans say they believe children with two parents are better off if one of them stays home with the children.

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey of 4,602 adults and found that 59 percent believe that children are better off if a parent stays home. Only 39 percent said children fare just as well when both parents work.

These findings are significant because both parents are working outside the home in 46 percent of two-parent families in the U.S.

By contrast, in 1970, only 31 percent of these households were comprised of two parents working full time. In those days, it was usually a full-time working father and a mother who was not employed outside the home.

However, in this latest survey, 53 percent say it doesn’t matter who stays home and who works.

It’s interesting to note that men are more likely than women to say children are better off if one parent stays home (63% vs. 55%). But among those who believe someone should stay home with the kids, 46 percent of men and 43 percent of women say that parent should be the mother.

Another noteworthy finding is that age didn’t really matter among those who believe one parent should remain in the home. Although this was a common view of older Americans, 54 percent of respondents under the age of 30 held this view, with younger men far more likely to believe this than younger women (62% vs. 46%).

Ethnicity was a factor when it came to black families where just 45 percent of the respondents said someone should stay home with the children. This is compared to 59 percent of white families and 66 percent of Hispanic families.

There was little variation on this question when education was factored in. Fifty-two percent of college graduates said they believe someone should stay home compared to 59 percent of those with some college experience and 64 percent of those with a high school education or less.

The findings of this survey point to the existence of at least some degree of conflict among those who are forced to work outside the home even while believing it would be better for their children if they didn’t.

It also explains why the economy remains the number one issue among Americans – both male and female - in the 2016 election.

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