Sex differences in children's time use

Gaming, Gender, and Time: Who Makes Time to Play?

“…According to the literature review, women have less leisure time than men (Aguiar & Hurst, 2006;Larson & Verma, 1999;Mattingly & Bianchi, 2003;Mauldin & Meeks, 1990;Ritchie et al, 2004). Is this pattern true with our undergraduate participants and, if so, how large is the gap of available leisure time between our undergraduate men and women?…”

“…Aguiar and Hurst (2006) report 36 h of leisure time per week for Americans in general, but found a difference between genders. Men had 38 h of leisure time per week, while women had 34 h. Women have less available leisure time than men (Aguiar and Hurst 2006;Larson and Verma 1999;Mattingly and Bianchi 2003;Mauldin and Meeks 1990;Ritchie et al 2004). But how does having less (or more) available leisure time effect how one chooses to spend that time?…”

“…In general, more responsibility falls on women for taking care of the family and household duties, regardless of other workrelated obligations (Apt and Grieco 1998;Mattingly and Bianchi 2003). Males spend more time in leisure activities and less time in household work and personal care than females (Mauldin and Meeks 1990). Renk et al (2003, 13) posited that women have more responsibility for caring for the family because "fathers may experience more choice in their interactions with their children, whereas mothers may perceive the time they spend with their children as part of their expected role rather than as a leisure activity.…”

“…The magnitude of the gaming gap increases as children become young adults . Adult women have less leisure time (Aguiar and Hurst 2006;Larson and Verma 1999;Mattingly and Bianchi 2003;Mauldin and Meeks 1990;Ritchie et al 2004) and the free time they do have is available in smaller chunks than adult males (Apt and Grieco 1998;Mattingly and Bianchi 2003). This disparity begins in childhood (Ritchie et al 2004).…”

Physical activity leisure‐time participation of boys with developmental coordination disorder

“…Even when sitting down and watehing television, boys are more interested in action-adventure programs and sports-related telecasts than girls (Huston, Wright, Marquis, & Green, 1999). There appear to be strong gender-differentiated patterns of time use in relation to physical activity participation and sports-related interests that increase in older children (Mauldin & Meeks, 1990).…”