Nearly Half of Working Dads Have Used Their Kids as an Excuse to Leave Work Early, New Survey Reveals

Key Findings:

• Nearly half of fathers (45.9%) have used their children as an excuse to leave work early at least once

• Fathers are 1.7x more likely than mothers to use their children as a workplace excuse

• Almost one in four fathers (23.6%) admit they have used their children as an excuse multiple times

• Nearly one in five parents (17.6%) have actively hidden or downplayed the fact they have children in a professional setting

As Father’s Day approaches, new research from resume.io reveals that many dads are relying on their children for more than school runs and soccer practice. They’re also using them as a convenient workplace excuse when they need to leave early.

The survey of U.S. working parents found that nearly half of fathers (45.9%) have used their children as an excuse to leave work early at least once. In comparison, just over a quarter of mothers (26.8%) admit doing the same.

Overall, more than a third (34.7%) working parents have used their children as an excuse to leave work early at least once, including one in six (14.4%) who have done so more than once.

The findings suggest that while working parents across the board face challenges balancing family life and professional responsibilities, fathers may be particularly likely to lean on parenthood when flexibility is needed.

Dads Are 3 Times More Likely Than Moms to Use Their Children as an Excuse Repeatedly

The data reveals a notable gender divide in how parents use their family responsibilities in the workplace, with fathers considerably more likely than mothers to admit using their children as a reason to leave work early.

Nearly half of fathers (45.9%) say they have used their children as an excuse to leave work early at least once, compared with just over a quarter of mothers (26.8%). Meaning that fathers are 1.7x more likely to use their children as an excuse than mothers.

The gap becomes even more pronounced among repeat offenders. Almost one in four fathers (23.6%) admit they have used their children as an excuse on multiple occasions, making them staggering three times more likely than mothers (7.7%) to do so.

By contrast, nearly three-quarters of mothers (73.2%) say they have never used their children as an excuse to leave work early, compared with just over half of fathers (53.4%).

The findings paint a picture of modern fatherhood in which dads are increasingly balancing professional demands alongside parenting responsibilities, but perhaps occasionally taking advantage of the credibility that comes with being a parent.

Nearly 1 in 5 Parents Have Hidden or Downplayed Being a Parent

While some parents appear comfortable invoking their children when flexibility is needed, many remain cautious about how parenthood is perceived professionally.

Nearly one in five parents (17.6%) say that they have actively hidden or downplayed the fact they have children, while almost a third (29.9%) say they have either done for or considered doing so. 

Once again, fathers were more likely to report changing how they present their parental status. More than one in five men (22.4%) say they have actively hidden being a parent, compared with 14.1% of women. Meaning that dads are 1.6x more likely to actively hide their role as a parent in the workplace.

Men were also more likely to say they had deliberately avoided mentioning their children during the hiring process, with 11.8% reporting this behavior compared with 7.3% of women.

Women, however, were more likely to say they had considered hiding their parental status without actually doing so, with 14.6% saying they had thought about it compared with 9.3% of men.

Questions About Children Remain Common During Hiring

The research also revealed that discussions about family life continue to be a common part of the hiring process for many parents.

Almost two-fifths (39.1%) say they have been asked about their children in a job interview. Among those who had been asked, more than one in three (34.9%) found the question inappropriate.

The research revealed that mothers were 1.7x more likely to say that they feel uncomfortable about questions regarding their children in an interview. More than one in seven women (14.1%) said they would feel uncomfortable compared with 8.1% of men.

The findings highlight the ongoing role that family responsibilities continue to play in workplace conversations and hiring experiences for many working parents.

According to Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach and resident career expert for resume.io:

“As Father's Day approaches, these findings offer an interesting look at how modern dads are juggling work and family responsibilities. Fathers were significantly more likely than mothers to say they've used their children as a reason to leave work early, and they're also more likely to admit doing it repeatedly.

Part of that may reflect the fact that today's fathers are taking a much more active role in caregiving than previous generations. While expectations around fatherhood have evolved, many workplaces still make employees feel like they need a 'good excuse' to ask for flexibility. Ideally, parents shouldn't feel pressured to rely on cover stories. They should feel comfortable having honest conversations about their responsibilities outside of work and trust that occasional flexibility won't be viewed as a lack of commitment."

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Campaign methodology: This survey was conducted by resume.io in April 2026, gathering insights from 600 full-time U.S. workers. Data recorded: April 2026

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