The role of economic and demographic factors in explaining time-use of single and married mothers

A system of time allocation equations based on household production theory is estimated for both married & single mothers, drawing on time-use & panel data collected from urban & rural, single- & 2-parent, 2-child families in Calif, Utah, & nationwide (total Ns = 291,314 & 5,000 households, respectively). Results indicate that married & single mothers make different decisions about how to allocate their time to household production, child care, leisure, & paid work. Specifically, they respond differently to a change in their shadow wage rates, unearned income, paid child care, & ages of children; possible explanations for these differences are considered. 5 Tables, 39 References. Adapted from the source document.