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Parental Child Care in Single Parent, Cohabiting, and Married Couple Families: Time Diary Evidence from the United States and the United Kingdom

Author

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  • Charlene M. Kalenkoski
  • David C. Ribar
  • Leslie S. Stratton

Abstract

This study uses time diary data from the 2003 American Time Use Survey and the United Kingdom Time Use Survey 2000 to examine the time that single, cohabiting, and married parents devote to caring for their children. Time spent in market work, in child care as a primary activity, and in child care as a passive activity are jointly modeled using a correlated, censored regression model. Separate estimates are provided by gender, by country, and by weekend/weekday day. We find no evidence that these time allocation decisions differ for cohabiting and married parents, but there is evidence that single persons allocate time differently - as might be expected, given different household time constraints. In the U.S. single fathers spend significantly more time in primary child care on weekdays and substantially less time in passive child care on weekends than their married or cohabiting counterparts, while in the UK single fathers spend significantly more time in passive child care on weekdays. Single fathers in each country report less time at work on weekdays than their married or cohabiting counterparts. In the U.S., single mothers work more than married or cohabiting mothers on weekdays, while single mothers in the United Kingdom work less than married or cohabiting mothers on all days.

Suggested Citation

  • Charlene M. Kalenkoski & David C. Ribar & Leslie S. Stratton, 2006. "Parental Child Care in Single Parent, Cohabiting, and Married Couple Families: Time Diary Evidence from the United States and the United Kingdom," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_440, Levy Economics Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_440
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/9835 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Hans G. Bloemen & Silvia Pasqua & Elena G. F. Stancanelli, 2008. "An Empirical Analysis Of The Time Allocation Of Italian Couples: Are Italian Men Irresponsive?," CHILD Working Papers wp18_08, CHILD - Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic economics - ITALY.
    3. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/9835 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/9834 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Jean Kimmel & Rachel Connelly, 2007. "Mothers’ Time Choices: Caregiving, Leisure, Home Production, and Paid Work," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(3).
    6. Rachel Connelly & Jean Kimmel, 2009. "Spousal influences on parents’ non-market time choices," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 361-394, December.
    7. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/9835 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/9834 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Samuel C. M. Faulconer & M. Rachél Hveem & Mikaela J. Dufur, 2022. "Gendered Associations between Single Parenthood and Child Behavior Problems in the United Kingdom," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Marcén, Miriam & Molina, José Alberto, 2007. "How Does the Presence of Children Affect Dependent Care? A Psycho-Economic Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 2726, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/9834 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. M. Rachél Hveem & Samuel C. M. Faulconer & Mikaela J. Dufur, 2022. "Comparing Children’s Behavior Problems in Biological Married, Biological Cohabitating, and Stepmother Families in the UK," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Silvia Pasqua & Anna Laura Mancini, 2012. "Asymmetries and interdependencies in time use between Italian parents," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(32), pages 4153-4171, November.

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