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Like my parents at home? Gender differences in children’s housework in Germany and Spain

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  • J. Ignacio Gimenez-Nadal

    (University of Zaragoza and CTUR)

  • Jose Alberto Molina

    (University of Zaragoza and IZA)

  • Raquel Ortega

    (Department of Business, Faculty of Economics, University of Zaragoza)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationship between parents’ time devoted to housework and the time devoted to housework by their children. Using data for Germany and Spain from the Multinational Time Use Study, we find positive correlations between parents’ and children’s housework time, indicating that the more time parents devote to housework, the more time their children devote to housework. However, we find cross-country differences in these relationships. In Germany, both fathers’ and mothers’ housework is positively related to the time devoted to housework by their children, while in Spain this relationship only holds for fathers’ time. We also find that these results are not applicable to all subgroups of the population, as our analysis considering the labor force status and education of the parents yields mixed results.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Ignacio Gimenez-Nadal & Jose Alberto Molina & Raquel Ortega, 2017. "Like my parents at home? Gender differences in children’s housework in Germany and Spain," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1143-1179, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:52:y:2017:i:4:d:10.1007_s00181-016-1100-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-016-1100-x
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Housework; Children; Time Use;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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