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Grandparenting and Childbearing in the Extended Family

Author

Listed:
  • Arnstein Aassve

    (Bocconi University
    Bocconi University)

  • Elena Meroni

    (University of Padua)

  • Chiara Pronzato

    (University of Turin
    CHILD Collegio Carlo Alberto)

Abstract

The study analyzes the role of grandparents’ childcare provision on their adult children’s fertility behavior using data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) for eleven European countries. An important innovation is that we take into account siblings’ fertility behavior and share of grandparents’ time in terms of childcare. We show that availability of grandparents plays an important role in individuals’ decision of having children. Being helped by grandparents increases the chance of childbearing when existing grandchildren are not too young. On the other hand, the probability of having a child is lower when grandparents are already looking after a sibling’s young child. The role of grandparenting appears stronger in the South of Europe, where public childcare for young children is less prevalent.

Suggested Citation

  • Arnstein Aassve & Elena Meroni & Chiara Pronzato, 2012. "Grandparenting and Childbearing in the Extended Family," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 28(4), pages 499-518, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:28:y:2012:i:4:d:10.1007_s10680-012-9273-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-012-9273-2
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