A helping hand: Analyzing time use and travel in three-generation households Kelcie M. Ralph Michael J. Smart Brian D. Taylor
Background Despite significant increases in employment over the past half-century, women still do the bulk of household and child-serving travel Household-serving trips > commute trips
Motivation Multigenerational households are becoming more prevalent Grandmothers help with housework –Nearly five hours each day on average
How does life differ for mothers in three-generation households?
A single person from each household completes a 24-hour activity diary American Time Use Survey
Parent Child Grand- parent
Two-generation households n=26,682 Young parent (middle generation age 19 or younger) Traditional three-generation n=1,067 Older grandparent (oldest generation age 80 or over) Types of three-generation households
Household labor Sleep Paid labor Leisure Measuring time use
Measuring travel
Travel to care for children WorkSchool Dentist Grocery Child-serving trip Chauffeur trip
Commute WorkSchool WorkSchool
Travel for any purposeMode Measuring travel
Minutes or count Dichotomous Negative binomial regression Logistic Dependent variable
Control variables Number of children and age of youngest child Race/ethnicity and immigrant status Survey year and day of week Age of woman by decade College degree
RESULTS
More sustainable travel patterns? Enable working women to use less flexible but more sustainable modes Grandmothers’ trips are less likely to be at the peak time and peak direction
What about the children? 20% more child-serving and chauffeuring trips per child in three-generation households
A recap Having a live-in grandmothers’ help: Frees up time for more work and relaxation Reduces chauffeuring, lengthens commutes Increases trips for children
THANK YOU Kelcie M. Ralph Co-authors: Brian D. Taylor and Michael J. Smart