Center-Based Care and Parenting Activities

Abstract

We estimate the effects of center-based care on parenting activities with children using data from time diaries and a family survey for Germany. Our estimates imply that usage of center-based care reduces the amount of time that a parent spends with their enrolled child, but only small negative effects on the amount of time spent on parenting activities. Correspondingly, center-based care increases parenting activities as a share of time spent with the child. Our estimates of direct (center hours) and indirect effects (evening and weekend) are more pronounced for parents in households where the mother has lower educational attainment.