Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 1 Parental time allocation: A European Overview Joris Ghysels (University of Antwerp)

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 2 Content of the presentation European families The narrow view: time in paid work The wide angle:  time allocation studies  the gendered nature of “leisure”

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 3 Average household size (2001)

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 4 Household types with dependent children (% on total, 2001)

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 5 Time allocation: paid work

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 6 Paid work: outside normal daytime hours on weekdays

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 7 Paid work: shifts

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 8 Female employment rates by the number of children Women aged 20-49, Children below 12, LFS 2003

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 9 Combination patterns (%) among parents with dependent children Parents aged 20-49, Children below 12, LFS 2003

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 10 However, “time in paid work” represents a narrow view:  Focus on monetary economy  Implicit assumption that non-market time is homogeneous  Studying versus fishing  Cooking versus watching television  Cooking versus story telling  No information on overlapping periods

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 11 Therefore, time use surveys are interesting Time use diaries instead of questionnaires:  Complex  all types of activities  primary and secondary activities  presence of other persons  Costly (over period of time)  Limited availability

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 12 Childcare among parents with children aged 0-6 Minutes per day, Couple households Active care as a primary activity

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 13 Childcare among parents whose youngest child is 7-17 Minutes per day, Couple households, Active care as a primary activity

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 14 Gainful and domestic work of parents whose youngest child is 7-17 Hours and minutes per day, Couple households

Centre for Social Policy (University of Antwerp) 15 Concluding notes Gendered patterns of time allocation:  Paid work and domestic work  Converging trend? Children ‘make’ parents adopt traditional role models  Policy initiatives  Values and norms about parenting  Children’s expectations