This paper analyzes the long-term effects of child-related gaps on gender inequality across Europe and North America. Using data from 17 countries, it compares the career trajectories of mothers and fathers, as well as women and men without children, across different life stages. The study finds that employment gaps between mothers and non-mothers tend to close by age 50, particularly among highly educated individuals. However, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers persist, even among highly educated parents. The main reasons for these persistent gaps are part-time work for women and fatherhood premia, where fathers' earnings outperform non-fathers' over their life cycle. The analysis also shows that motherhood and parental gaps in employment rates are largest around age 30 when children are young but tend to converge across countries to lower levels by age 50. Earnings gaps between mothers and non-mothers also close by age 50, especially among highly educated women. However, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers remain significant, with highly educated mothers still struggling to catch up with fathers. The persistence of these gaps is partly attributed to part-time employment and fatherhood premia. The study uses synthetic cohorts based on national data to examine how motherhood penalties vary across countries, cohorts, and educational groups. It finds that countries with more conservative social norms and weaker work-life balance policies tend to have larger motherhood effects in employment. The paper also highlights the importance of family policies such as parental leave and childcare provision in influencing mothers' incentives to work. Overall, the study shows that while motherhood gaps in employment tend to close over time, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers remain persistent. The findings suggest that part-time work and fatherhood premia are key factors in explaining these persistent gaps. The research contributes to the literature by extending the multi-country approach to analyze motherhood gaps over a longer period of the life cycle.This paper analyzes the long-term effects of child-related gaps on gender inequality across Europe and North America. Using data from 17 countries, it compares the career trajectories of mothers and fathers, as well as women and men without children, across different life stages. The study finds that employment gaps between mothers and non-mothers tend to close by age 50, particularly among highly educated individuals. However, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers persist, even among highly educated parents. The main reasons for these persistent gaps are part-time work for women and fatherhood premia, where fathers' earnings outperform non-fathers' over their life cycle. The analysis also shows that motherhood and parental gaps in employment rates are largest around age 30 when children are young but tend to converge across countries to lower levels by age 50. Earnings gaps between mothers and non-mothers also close by age 50, especially among highly educated women. However, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers remain significant, with highly educated mothers still struggling to catch up with fathers. The persistence of these gaps is partly attributed to part-time employment and fatherhood premia. The study uses synthetic cohorts based on national data to examine how motherhood penalties vary across countries, cohorts, and educational groups. It finds that countries with more conservative social norms and weaker work-life balance policies tend to have larger motherhood effects in employment. The paper also highlights the importance of family policies such as parental leave and childcare provision in influencing mothers' incentives to work. Overall, the study shows that while motherhood gaps in employment tend to close over time, earnings gaps between mothers and fathers remain persistent. The findings suggest that part-time work and fatherhood premia are key factors in explaining these persistent gaps. The research contributes to the literature by extending the multi-country approach to analyze motherhood gaps over a longer period of the life cycle.