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From EurekAlert! - Breaking News:
Mothers of young children have experienced a significant decline in the presence and availability of other women in the household over the last 120 years, according to new research by Brown University sociologist Susan E. Short.
Analyzing U.S. census data from 1880 to 2000, the researchers examined patterns of coresidence for mothers with children aged zero to five years old.
They focused on the household presence of females who traditionally helped mothers with childcare, such as the women's mothers and mothers-in-law, other female relatives and non-relatives, and older daughters.
"This work adds to current discussion of work-family balance issues and the "burden" young mothers experience while trying to balance time demands by looking beyond the young mothers' own time-demands and the contributions made by fathers," Short explained.
For example, in 1880, 24 percent of mothers lived with a female age 10 or older that was not attending school or employed outside the home (therefore, making them more available to assist with childcare).
By 2000, that number fell to only 5 percent.
The researchers then decomposed this decline into two parts -- changes in living arrangements and changes in schooling or work -- and found that about half the decline was due to the de-creased likelihood of living with other females and half the decline was due to increases in school or work involvement among co-resident females.
The overall decline in having an older daughter around the house to help with the younger children is mostly due to the increase in the likelihood that the older daughters were attending school.
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Posted on December 12, 2006 07:25 PM
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