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The division of domestic work bears little resemblance to the ideals of rational specialization espoused in Becker's (1991) theory. Many sociologists explain this as a manifestation of 'doing gender'. We argue that a multiple equilibrium framework can help account for variations in couple specialization. The framework is dynamic, highlights the presence of competing normative regimes, and it helps empirical identification of Pareto optimal and non-optimal couple specialization. To compensate for the lack of longitudinal data, we seek to capture dynamics by analyzing time use data for three countries that represent distinct stages in the ongoing gender revolution, namely Britain, Denmark and Spain. We identify a traditional, egalitarian and unstable family equilibrium and argue that inefficient and inequitable specialization is primarily associated with the lack of clear normative guidance within unstable equilibria. The traditional equilibrium remains dominant in Spain while Denmark has advanced considerably towards an egalitarian equilibrium. In Britain, the traditional equilibrium is now marginal but no egalitarian alternative has yet emerged. Inefficiency in couple behaviour is therefore especially pronounced. Our equity analyses yield surprising results since we find more equity in Britain than in Denmark. Widespread inequity within Danish couples is almost exclusively due to women being advantaged.

Objective This study examined the differences in child and adolescent time use across the following three countries with distinct policy and cultural regimes: Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Background Studying children's time use cross‐nationally is urgent to better understand how societal contexts influence children's daily lives in ways that affect their future lifestyles, development, and identity formation. Yet previous studies have largely omitted this important question. Method The study used 2009 to 015 time‐diary data on children aged 10 to 17 from Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom (N = 3,491). Multivariate linear regression models examined (a) between‐country and (b) within‐country variations. Results Finnish children spent 153 daily minutes less with parents, 128 more with “others” and 54 daily minutes more alone when compared with Spanish children. The United Kingdom fell between Finland and Spain in children's time allocated with parents and time with “others.” In family‐oriented Spain, children spent more time eating; in individualistic Finland and United Kingdom, child screen‐based time was highest. Parental education generally led to more time in educational activities, but with minor country variations. Maternal employment was generally not associated with child time use, except in Spain, where it led to less parent–child time. Conclusion The strong cross‐national differences in child and adolescent time use seem only partly driven by sociostructural factors. Cross‐cultural variations in family values and parenting ideologies seem to critically influence children's daily activities.