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Household Choices and Child Development

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Del Boca

    (University of Turin, CHILD, Collegio Carlo Alberto and IZA)

  • Christopher Flinn

    (Department of Economics, New York University (NYU))

  • Matthew Wiswall

    (Department of Economics, New York University (NYU))

Abstract

The growth in labor market participation among women with young children has raised concerns about the potential negative impact of the mother's absence from home on child outcomes. Recent data show that mother's time spent with children has declined in the last decade, while the indicators of children's cognitive and noncognitive outcomes have worsened. The objective of our research is to estimate a model of the cognitive development process of children nested within an otherwise standard model of household life cycle behavior. The model generates endogenous dynamic interrelationships between the child quality and employment processes in the household, which are found to be consistent with patterns observed in the data. The estimated model is used to explore the effects of schooling subsidies and employment restrictions on household welfare and child development.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Del Boca & Christopher Flinn & Matthew Wiswall, 2010. "Household Choices and Child Development," Working Papers 2011-039, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2011-039
    Note: ECI
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    time allocation; child development; household labor supply;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior

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