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The Relation Between Maternal Work Hours and the Cognitive Development of Young School-Aged Children

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  • Annemarie Künn-Nelen
  • Andries Grip
  • Didier Fouarge

Abstract

This paper analyses the relation between maternal work hours and the cognitive development of young school-going children. We find that children’s language and sorting test scores are higher when their mothers have a large part-time job or even a full-time job. We find no evidence that this can be explained by a richer home environment in terms of the number of parent–child activities provided to the child. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Annemarie Künn-Nelen & Andries Grip & Didier Fouarge, 2015. "The Relation Between Maternal Work Hours and the Cognitive Development of Young School-Aged Children," De Economist, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 203-232, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:decono:v:163:y:2015:i:2:p:203-232
    DOI: 10.1007/s10645-014-9247-3
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Intergenerational human capital investments; (Non) cognitive skills; Maternal labour supply; Home environment; D10; J13; J22; J24;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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