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Returns on Lifetime Investments in Children in Egypt

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  • Solveig Cunningham
  • Kathryn Yount
  • Michal Engelman
  • Emily Agree

Abstract

Parental expectations about the companionship and assistance they will receive in later life from their children are key considerations in family formation decisions. We explore patterns of parents’ investment and the support and contact they receive from adult children in Egypt, where fertility is falling and sources of support at all life stages are in flux. Using data from a survey of older adults in Ismailia governorate, we consider parents’ past investments in childbearing, child survival, and children’s education and marriage, as well as recent assistance to adult children via housing, care for grandchildren, gifts, and money. The returns from children considered include economic assistance, instrumental support, and visits. Most parental investments are associated with frequent visits from children. The assistance children provide to parents is gendered: sons tend to provide economic transfers, whereas daughters tend to provide instrumental help. A greater number of surviving children is most strongly associated with parents’ receipt of multiple types of later-life returns. Investments in children’s education and marriage are not associated with assistance, but recent assistance to children—especially economic transfers and provision of housing—is associated with receiving instrumental assistance from adult children. Copyright Population Association of America 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Solveig Cunningham & Kathryn Yount & Michal Engelman & Emily Agree, 2013. "Returns on Lifetime Investments in Children in Egypt," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(2), pages 699-724, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:50:y:2013:i:2:p:699-724
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-012-0147-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jeong, Su Yeon & Kim, Jinyoung, 2020. "Asset or burden? Impact of children on parents’ retirement," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    2. Sara A. Moustafa & Reem Deif & Nada Gaballah & Mohamed Salama, 2024. "Cognitive Impairment and Non-Communicable Diseases in Egypt’s Aging Population: Insights and Implications from the 2021–2022 Pilot of “A Longitudinal Study of Egyptian Healthy Aging” “AL-SEHA”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-13, January.
    3. Julia Anna Matz, 2016. "Productivity, Rank, and Returns in Polygamy," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(5), pages 1319-1350, October.
    4. Hao-yu Hu & Wei Wang & Da-wei Feng & Hua-lei Yang & Zhong-kun Zhu, 2022. "Number of Children and Monetary Transfers to Elderly Parents in Rural China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 593-615, January.
    5. Francesco C. Billari & Vincenzo Galasso, 2014. "Fertility decisions and pension reforms. Evidence from natural experiments in Italy," IdEP Economic Papers 1403, USI Università della Svizzera italiana.
    6. Ashira Menashe‐Oren & Philippe Bocquier, 2021. "Urbanization Is No Longer Driven by Migration in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries (1985–2015)," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 47(3), pages 639-663, September.
    7. Cui, Ying & Liu, Hong & Zhao, Liqiu, 2021. "Protective effect of adult children's education on parental survival in China: Gender differences and underlying mechanisms," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    8. Nadia Diamond-Smith & David Bishai & Omaima El Gibaly, 2015. "Inter-generational co-residence and women's work and leisure time in Egypt," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 33(31), pages 909-938.
    9. Christine Ho, 2019. "Child’s gender, parental monetary investments and care of elderly parents in China," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 741-774, September.
    10. Solveig A. Cunningham & Gloria L. Beckles & Jannie Nielsen, 2022. "Declines in Health and Support Between Parents and Adult Children: Insights from Diabetes," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(4), pages 1699-1723, August.

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