Allocation of parents’ time to child care among Turkish families: evidence from Time-Use Survey

Abstract

This paper focuses on the time parents allocate to child care using data from the Turkish Time Use Survey 2006 in order to examine the determinants of parental time investment in child care. Findings from Tobit analysis indicate that number of children of either gender has no effect on the minutes fathers spend on child care which suggests the lack of parental preferences in time allocation. However, number of children of both genders is found to be positively associated with mothers’ time use. Results also suggest that mother’s education is positively and significantly associated with minutes both parents spend taking care of children. For both parents, we find no evidence of association between time investment and household resources.