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Young Mothers' Time Spent at Work and Time Spent Caring for Children

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Abstract

The association between the time a mother spends at work and in different child care activities is investigated, using data from the 1981 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). The mothers who worked on the index day spent almost one hour less time in physical care, one-half hour less time in interactive care, and over two hours less time in passive supervision of their children. The effects of a set of predictors on time use at work, time use in physical care, interactive care, and passive supervision of children were estimated using a covariance structure model. When the effects of these predictors are controlled, the number of hours at work predicts: (a) a small reduction in time spent in interactive care, and (b) larger reductions in time spent in physical care and passive supervision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, USA

    Nazli Baydar, April Greek & R. Mark Gritz

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  1. Nazli Baydar
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  2. April Greek
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  3. R. Mark Gritz
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Baydar, N., Greek, A. & Gritz, R.M. Young Mothers' Time Spent at Work and Time Spent Caring for Children. Journal of Family and Economic Issues 20, 61–84 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022167930544

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