This paper examines the long-term impacts of child-related gaps on gender inequality across Europe and North America. Using data from 17 countries, the study compares the career trajectories of mothers and fathers, as well as women and men without children, at different points in their life cycle. Key findings include: 1. **Employment Gaps**: At age 30, there is significant variation in employment gaps between mothers and non-mothers across countries. By age 50, however, employment gaps between mothers and non-mothers have closed in most countries, though not fully with fathers. 2. **Part-Time Work**: Gaps in part-time employment between mothers and non-mothers are evident at age 30 but show some convergence by age 50. Mothers remain more likely to work part-time compared to fathers, which contributes to persistent earnings gaps. 3. **Earnings Gaps**: Mothers not only catch up to non-mothers in earnings by age 50 but even outperform them in several countries, particularly among highly educated individuals. However, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers remain substantial and persistent. 4. **Fatherhood Premium**: Evidence of a fatherhood premium is found in some countries, where fathers outperform non-fathers in earnings over the life cycle, with gaps widening over time. The study uses synthetic cohorts constructed from national data to analyze these gaps across countries, cohorts, and educational groups. It highlights the importance of part-time work and fatherhood premiums in shaping the persistent earnings gaps between mothers and fathers. The findings suggest that while mothers' careers may recover as children grow older, significant gender disparities persist in the labor market.This paper examines the long-term impacts of child-related gaps on gender inequality across Europe and North America. Using data from 17 countries, the study compares the career trajectories of mothers and fathers, as well as women and men without children, at different points in their life cycle. Key findings include: 1. **Employment Gaps**: At age 30, there is significant variation in employment gaps between mothers and non-mothers across countries. By age 50, however, employment gaps between mothers and non-mothers have closed in most countries, though not fully with fathers. 2. **Part-Time Work**: Gaps in part-time employment between mothers and non-mothers are evident at age 30 but show some convergence by age 50. Mothers remain more likely to work part-time compared to fathers, which contributes to persistent earnings gaps. 3. **Earnings Gaps**: Mothers not only catch up to non-mothers in earnings by age 50 but even outperform them in several countries, particularly among highly educated individuals. However, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers remain substantial and persistent. 4. **Fatherhood Premium**: Evidence of a fatherhood premium is found in some countries, where fathers outperform non-fathers in earnings over the life cycle, with gaps widening over time. The study uses synthetic cohorts constructed from national data to analyze these gaps across countries, cohorts, and educational groups. It highlights the importance of part-time work and fatherhood premiums in shaping the persistent earnings gaps between mothers and fathers. The findings suggest that while mothers' careers may recover as children grow older, significant gender disparities persist in the labor market.