Sharing chores vital for successful marriage

If a large proportion of Americans are to be believed, then sharing housework is vital to the survival of marriage.

A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center which looked into marriage and parenting has found that "sharing household chores" is something that 62 per cent of respondents feel is vital for a marriage to be successful. When the same study was conducted in 1990, 47 per cent of those questioned felt that this was important.

Interestingly, the survey also found that fewer people believe that having children is key to a happy marriage, with "good housing," "adequate income," a "happy sexual relationship" and "faithfulness" all ranked higher in the list of things that are "very important" for wedded bliss, the Associated Press reports.

Commenting on the findings, Virginia Rutter, a sociology professor at Framingham State College and board member of the Council on Contemporary Families, said that the results could be attributed to that fact that family-friendly policies are few and far between in the American workplace, such as subsidised child care.

"If we value families ... we need to change the circumstances they live in," she added.