$25,000? Even if you think you DO have it easy, at least give yourself a small bump for the rest of us, sheesh. Parity, yo. Parity.

I have no idea how much at-home dads are worth.  Oh wait... nevermind.

What never seems to get factored into these studies is all the unpaid work that Dads do. At our house, with both of us working, it's all split(untraditionally)down the middle with me cooking and cleaning. But these studies never add up the work that still gets done by the Dad. I agree that stay at home Moms do a ton of work, but most working Dads do their own fair share of unpaid labor too. You don't hear many Fathers asking for a paycheck for their plumbing, carpentry, eclectrical, and auto mechanic work.

Treespeed - I agree completely on the lack of accounting for dad's work in these studies. But I gotta disagree that MOST dads do their own FAIR share. many, yes. Most? nuh-uhn.

In my circle of friends, the conflict is rarely about the division of labour but the division of responsibility. Few dads are taking their fair share of initiative, even if they are doing their fair share of work. This is true whether or not either parent stays at home.

Karen,

I guess it depends on what is important to each member of the partnership. I just think each person notices and works on what is important to them, some time it creates a balance, sometimes not. I'm not going to remember to phase out the 2T clothes from my daughter's dresser and my wife won't remember to clean out the drain traps, but one of us does so it works out.

We are pretty traditional here.  I earn my "keep" at home and dh works outside the home.  Every family is different, so I guess everyone's "salary" would be different.