For those of us who understand the rigors of the academic life, the survival of this myth is curious. In part this myth may be perpetuated by the fact that students often have a very unrealistic picture of the lives their professors lead. To students, teachers teach. What they do when they're not teaching is something students aren't inclined to consider. We're also a culture that's ruled by the clock.
Most American workers work for specified periods of time.
So it stands to reason that faculty members work during teaching hours, and office hours, and then are free to enjoy their leisure. Given this myth, it's easy to understand why so many professors who are also parents hear so much faculty-envy. They envy the flexibility of your schedule, the control you exercise over your working life, and your easy availability for your children's parent-teacher conferences, soccer games, music lessons, and school plays. And, in fact, flexibility is often a significant advantage for the scholarly parent. Certainly you have more control over your schedule than someone who has to punch a clock.