Study on Time use Pattern of Married Women on Childcare and Housework in Regards to the Number and Age of Children

Abstract

This study examines how married womens childcare time differs by composition of children. It investigates how mothers time allocation to care for their children differs in regards to the number and age of children, by analyzing time use data. Compositions of children constitute of the total number of children from no child, one child, two children, and three or more children, and the age of the youngest child in household from pre-school, elementary school, and middle and high school. For the time spent to take care of children, the code of childcare and housework are analyzed in 2009 Time Use Data in Korea. In this analytical framework the relationship between composition of children and childcare and housework was investigated. The results are in the following paragraphs. Childcare time is affected by the age of children but not by the number of children. Total number of children had a relationship when the age was not included in the model but when the age was put together, influence of the number disappeared. Number of children has a spurious relationship with childcare time. Mothers spent most on children in pre-school age, and the childcare time dropped drastically when the children enter school. Children in elementary school took on a lot less time for childcare, and it declined more when they enter middle and high school. Age of children is again found to be a strong determinant on mothers time use pattern on childcare. Both number and age of children are found to influence on housework time. More children and older children caused an increase on mothers housework time. Preparing meals, tidying, and laundry are in particular the activities that were performed more often as the size and age of children increase. Additionally, the degree of increase by number of children is found to be larger than that of by age of children. More family members in household means more associated caring work to do as housework. Reason that childcare time is concentrated on care for children in pre-school age is the coding system in time use data focuses on physical care for children in pre-school age. Participants generally mark off childcare when they spend time to care for young children. Time for childcare in Korea is mostly recognized as time for caring for young children. Childcare time decreases as the children grow since mothers time for young childrens physical care decreases, but it is quite a rash conclusion to say time mothers spend to take care of their children decreases as their children age. As children age, time mothers spend on housework such as preparing meals, cleaning, and laundry increases on the other hand. Thus, time that mothers spend to care for their children does not decrease as their children mature, but it is continuously spent throughout the entire ages of children. Constant time input by mothers for childcare is needed in rearing children.