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Mother’s Time Allocation, Childcare, and Child Cognitive Development

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  • Ylenia Brilli

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effects of maternal and nonparental time on a child’s cognitive development. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we estimate a model that allows the mother’s time productivity to depend on her education level and that distinguishes between formal and informal care. The results show that childcare time of high-educated mothers is more productive than that of low-educated mothers and that of nonparental care. The simulation of policies subsidizing mothers’ wages or regulating the nonparental care market indicates that children with low-educated mothers benefit more from replacing maternal time with nonparental time.

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  • Ylenia Brilli, 2022. "Mother’s Time Allocation, Childcare, and Child Cognitive Development," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(2), pages 233-272.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jhucap:doi:10.1086/719732
    DOI: 10.1086/719732
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniela Del Boca & Enrica Maria Martino & Chiara Pronzato, 2022. "Non cognitive skills and childcare attendance," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1059-1085, December.
    2. Ylenia Brilli & Simone Moriconi, 2023. "Culture of Origin, Parenting, and Household Labor Supply," Working Papers 2023: 17, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    3. Iacopo Morchio, 2022. "Policies for Early Childhood Skills Formation: Accounting for Parental Choices and Noncognitive Skills," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 22/755, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    4. Bigoni, Maria & Bortolotti, Stefania & Fort, Margherita & Guarini, Annalisa & Iorio, Daniela & Monfardini, Chiara & Sansavini, Alessandra & Sansone, Davide & Suttora, Chiara, 2023. "A New Time-Use Diary App to Measure Parental Investments," IZA Discussion Papers 16661, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Marlon R. Tracey & Chanita C. Holmes & Marvin G. Powell, 2024. "Parental limit-setting decisions and adolescent subject grades," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 143-171, March.
    6. Nicoletti, Cheti & Tonei, Valentina, 2020. "Do parental time investments react to changes in child’s skills and health?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    7. Elizabeth M. Caucutt & Lance Lochner & Joseph Mullins & Youngmin Park, 2020. "Child Skill Production: Accounting for Parental and Market-Based Time and Goods Investments," NBER Working Papers 27838, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Jorge Rodriguez, 2017. "Understanding the Effects of Income and Child Care Subsidies on Children's Academic Achievement," 2017 Papers pro1077, Job Market Papers.
    9. Daniela Del Boca & Christopher Flinn & Daniela Piazzalunga & Chiara Pronzato & Giuseppe Sorrenti & Matthew Wiswall, 2018. "Childcare Choices and Child Development: a Cross-Country Analysis," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 556, Collegio Carlo Alberto.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • C15 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Statistical Simulation Methods: General

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