Minutes per day devoted to hands-on child care by U.S. mothers from diary studies during the last third of the 20th century: Notice in particular that, in contrast to our myths, in more recent years, mothers are spending much more time teaching and playing with their children than in previous decades.

Data from: Sayer, Bianchi, & Robinson, 2004.; *Refers to routine kinds of care, such as helping the child get dressed.