Research shows that women/mothers tend to do more chores in the home and around the family, compared to men/fathers. We know that the health of both mothers, fathers and children is promoted if parenting is equal.

Gender-equal parenting is about contributing equally to the care of the child and the home, but also the possibility of working full-time and having the opportunity for personal time and mental recovery. Gender equality work is important already during pregnancy and creates the conditions for, for example, a positive birth experience and the first time with the child. Both long- and short-term health effects are seen in all family members living in equal parenting.

Talk to each other about how you can share chores within your relationship to promote equal parenting. You can do this already during pregnancy. These include tasks such as earning a living, housework, caring for the child, leisure activities and free time.

To clarify your efforts, you can make a list of chores so you can identify what each of you is involved in. By listing your chores, you are identifying and confirming each person's involvement and time commitment. The scope of the chores may vary depending on your current life situation. It may not be that everything has to be done 50/50, but may vary depending on whether one of you is on parental leave, for example.

The important thing is not who does what, or to what extent, but that you both feel that it is an equal expenditure of energy on joint chores, at least in the long run. Keep in mind that being on parental leave is a full-time job in itself, often requiring constant supervision of the child/children. For those who are not on parental leave, it can be difficult to imagine the mental stress that this can create in the long run. People on parental leave spend most of their days in and around the home. This lack of contrast in environment and variety in roles that a job would otherwise provide can feel monotonous to some. It can also mean limited opportunities to meet other adults. At the end of the day, it's not about sharing everything exactly the same way every day, but the important thing is that you feel that the cup is not overflowing with the other. It can therefore be good to check from time to time how each party feels in the "home business". We believe that a well-functioning team is better than the sum of its parts.

For example, the list of chores for equal parenting may include:

- Paid work (working full-time/part-time/VAB etc)
- Child care (Parental leave/play/social interaction with other families with children/feeding/sleeping with the child/organizing clothes shopping, needs, naming etc/hygiene around the child/consoling/reading/alone time with the child/children/without the other parent/homework help/parents' meetings)
- Family life (keeping in touch with family and friends/initiating and planning family activities/buying gifts/arranging parties/planning vacations/planning dates/ etc)
- Free time/non-free time (alone time at home and outside/sleep mornings/disturbed sleep etc)
- Housework (Cleaning/watering flowers/organizing and bookkeeping/changing sheets/researching for purchases and needs/gardening/changing light bulbs/taking out the trash/managing finances/shopping for food and seeing what is out or needed/planning meals/washing dishes/cleaning up etc)
- Any other points

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