Non-market household time and the cost of children

Arbeitspapier

A distinguishing feature among households is whether adult members work or not, since the occupational status of adults affects their available time for home activities. Using a survey method in two countries, Belgium and Germany, we provide household incomes that retain the level of well-being across different family types, distinguished by family size and occupational status of adults. Our tests support that childcare-time costs are important determinants of household well-being. Estimates of child costs relative to an adult are higher for households that are time-constrained (all adults in the household work). Moreover, we find supportive evidence for the hypothesis that, in two-adult households, there is a potential for within-household welfare gains from specialization in market- vs. domestic activities, especially childcare.

Object Details

• ISBN: 3938369477
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Diskussionsbeiträge ; No. 2006/22

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Household Production and Intrahousehold Allocation ; Time Allocation and Labor Supply ; Classification Discontinued 2008. See C83. ; Personal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions ; General Welfare; Well-Being
• Subject: household production ; child costs ; childcare ; survey method

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Koulovatianos, Christos ; Schröder, Carsten ; Schmidt, Ulrich
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Wirtschaftswissenschaft
• (where): Berlin
• (when): 2006

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/3934
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET