Parental childcare and children's educational attainment: evidence from China

Abstract

This paper examines the determinants of child educational attainment. In addition to those examined in previous studies, it is found that maternal childcare is another important determinant of child educational attainment. The results are robust after controlling for endogeneity. The IV estimates show that once childcare time is controlled for, child health does not have an effect on school enrolment age. This finding suggests that omitting the childcare time may have biased the estimated effect of child health on school enrolment in previous studies.

How Are Notions of Childcare Similar or Different among American, Chinese, Japanese and Swedish Teachers?

“…In modern Chinese families, children are pampered, and the notion of the 'only child' provides them with all the attention from the family as well as all of the emotional and economic investment by parents and grandparents (WuDunn, 1991;Freeman, 1998). However, at the same time, traditional family values still dominate people's perceptions about raising children that hold women responsible for caring for young children (Li et al, 2005). In this sense, '[m]any of the institutions, beliefs, and values held in China's traditional families are still present in China' (Pang & Richey, 2006, p. 1).…”

“…In a study by Li et al (2005), it has been found that most women still assume that they should take major responsibility in caring for young children. When working women have no time to care for their young children, grandparents, nannies or childcare providers share the responsibilities (Li et al, 2005).…”

“…When working women have no time to care for their young children, grandparents, nannies or childcare providers share the responsibilities (Li et al, 2005). 'The largest share of nonparental care is provided by relatives, who are unlikely to charge for their services' (Kilburn & Datar, 2002, p. 7).…”

“…phenomenon can be explained by two major factors: (a) the one-child policy; and (b) the effect it has brought to China as its economy grows and modernizes (Freeman, 1998;Li et al, 2005;Zhu & Zhang, 2008).…”

“…First, China's one-child policy has had a profound impact on the issue of quality childcare and accessible childcare centers (Freeman, 1998;Li et al, 2005;Zhu & Zhang, 2008). The way parents care for young children always reflects their cultural values and their expectations of childrearing (Freeman, 1998).…”