January 2024, study conducted by Famivita with 2,500 participants between September 11 and 25, 2023: The last decades of the 20th century were marked by a series of changes in social practices and roles, affecting various aspects of daily life. One of them was the family: not by chance, it is now common to hear people say that raising children was easier in the past. Especially mothers from previous generations often point out the differences between raising a child today and in the past.

Many questions are raised about parenting today, and among the contrasting factors between "now and then," higher levels of violence can be mentioned, as well as a greater work burden, since many women had not yet entered the professional workforce either. Another frequent issue to deal with concerns technology and the excessive exposure of young children to it, which tends to enter households at a very early age.

Moreover, as experts point out, there is also an excessive demand on mothers, both from others and from themselves, regarding the way they are raising their children, since there are now so many parenting methods and even manuals available, generating a kind of "search for results"—which consequently leads to more anxiety and insecurity for them. The list of what should be done for a woman to be considered a good mother can be lengthy, and it is not uncommon to find ready-made templates online. Pertinent to the topic, in our latest study, 58% of women said they believe that having children was easier ten years ago.

Would you say that having children was easier ten years ago than it is now?

  • Especially among those aged 35 to 39 years and 40 to 44 years, they said yes, it was easier in the past, with 71%.
  • Among men, 44% also said they believe it was easier for previous generations.
  • 65% of mothers highlighted this, versus 48% of women without children.
  • 58% of pregnant women also indicated that it is more difficult to have children in the present day.

The Most Difficult Task

Amid the challenges of having children in today’s society, balancing work and children continues to be seen as one of the hardest tasks for women. The busy routine is the biggest complaint among mothers, who also feel unappreciated for their dedication to caring for their children.

A recent survey conducted by the Peanut app in the United States and the United Kingdom revealed that this feeling of a lack of recognition is nearly unanimous among all who have had children. Of the 3,615 women who participated in the survey, 95% reported feeling undervalued and "invisible" in society.

In Brazil, a study by FGV Ibre (Brazilian Institute of Economics at Fundação Getúlio Vargas), on the so-called "care economy," showed that 65% of domestic work—including childcare and caring for the elderly—is done by women. The topic sparked many debates and was also chosen as the theme for the 2023 Enem essay. Related to the topic, 71% of participants in our study stated that nowadays, it is difficult to take care of the house, children, and work at the same time.

Do you find it difficult to take care of the house, children, and work all at the same time nowadays?

  • Especially the age group of 35 to 39 years responded positively, with 77%.
  • Next came those aged 25 to 29 years, with 76%.
  • Among men, 66% also said this balance is difficult to achieve.

Where Should Support Come From?

When women become mothers, they take on a new role—and if they do not actually have help raising their children, it is as if it were a "new job," except one that is unpaid. Beyond that, in the professional world, being a mother also means having to be a good worker. In our study, we asked who could do more to improve the possibility of balancing family, house, and work. According to 38% of the women surveyed, this responsibility should fall to the government, with 25% saying it should be the family's responsibility, 19% the employers', 13% replied "others," and 6% said "no one."

  • Among participants who answered that it should be the government to provide support, this group was mostly in the 30 to 34 years age group, representing 40%.
  • Additionally, 39% of women answered it should be the government, compared to 28% of men.
  • Among those who responded that it should be the family, the majority were aged 25 to 29 years, at 25%.
  • Among those who answered "employers", 25% of them are between 35 and 39 years old, with 25%.

State Rankings Where Participants Reported It Is Difficult to Take Care of House, Children, and Work Today

  • 1.Tocantins
  • 2.Rondônia
  • 3.Roraima
  • 4.Rio Grande do Norte
  • 5.Piauí
  • 6.Alagoas
  • 7.Rio Grande do Sul
  • 8.Mato Grosso do Sul
  • 9.Amazonas
  • 10.Pernambuco
  • 11.Ceará
  • 12.Federal District
  • 13.Paraíba
  • 14.Pará
  • 15.Bahia
  • 16.São Paulo
  • 17.Rio de Janeiro
  • 18.Sergipe
  • 19.Santa Catarina
  • 20.Amapá
  • 21.Minas Gerais
  • 22.Goiás
  • 23.Acre
  • 24.Espírito Santo
  • 25.Paraná
  • 26.Maranhão
  • 27.Mato Grosso

Index of States Where Women Reported Having Children Was Easier Ten Years Ago

Research Methodology

The study had national coverage and was carried out with over 2,500 people, both women and men, from September 11 to 25, 2023. The data collection method was a questionnaire completed online.

The following questions were addressed:

  • Would you say having children was easier ten years ago than it is now?
  • Do you find it difficult to take care of the house, children, and work all at the same time nowadays?
  • Who could do more to improve the possibility of balancing family and work?

To compare results across regions and states, affirmative responses were counted as 1 for “yes” and 0 for “no.” Some questions, aiming for more qualitative results, were designed with more response options.