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Parenting skills and early childhood development: production function estimates from longitudinal data

Author

Listed:
  • Jade Marcus Jenkins

    (University of California)

  • Sudhanshu Handa

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNICEF)

Abstract

We provide evidence on the importance of specific inputs for child cognitive skills by estimating alternative specifications of the early childhood production function, between birth and kindergarten. We identify a new input measure, parent–child interaction, which is both important for development and amenable to policy intervention because parenting skills can be taught. We find that the application of reading books and singing songs and sensitive and engaging parent–child interactions as early as 9 months of age have an important effect on reading among kindergarten children.

Suggested Citation

  • Jade Marcus Jenkins & Sudhanshu Handa, 2019. "Parenting skills and early childhood development: production function estimates from longitudinal data," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 121-147, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:17:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11150-017-9376-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-017-9376-y
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    2. Saishuang Wu & Donglan Zhang & Xinyue Li & Jin Zhao & Xiaoning Sun & Lu Shi & Yuping Mao & Yunting Zhang & Fan Jiang, 2022. "Siblings and Early Childhood Development: Evidence from a Population-Based Cohort in Preschoolers from Shanghai," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-12, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Early childhood development; Parenting skills; Education production function; Human capital formation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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