New York Times, 4/18/2006

1. New York Times, 4/18/2006

2. Unequal investments • Bianchi et al. (2004) • Class inequality is increasing • Growing inequality in child investments? • Is the class effect growing, too? • Spending on children • CEX • Time spent with children • Time diary data • Health behaviors • National Health Interview Survey

3. Spending on children • Daycare and child care • In center, home, or other’s home • Clothing and shoes for children • Other expenses • Infant furniture/equipment, bus fees, playground equipment, school supplies, tuition, school meals, toys, etc. • Trends, and regression • Controls for age, race, married, # kids, # of earners

4. Increasing inequality? Gini coefficients

5. Class effects Total less child care

6. Class effects Clothing and shoes

7. Time with children Mothers, total ‘primary’ child care

8. Time with children Fathers, total ‘primary’ child care

9. Time with children Mothers, ‘engagement’ time

10. Time with children Fathers, ‘engagement’ time

11. Health behaviors • Behaviors • Current smoking • No doctor visits in last 2 years • Obese • Exercise activity past 2 weeks • Trends • Regression with controls • Age, married, race, # kids, employment

12. Fathers smoking

13. Mothers smoking

14. Fathers no doctor

15. Mothers no doctor

16. Fathers obese

17. Mothers obese

18. Fathers exercise

19. Mothers exercise

20. College education effects Fathers

21. College education effects Mothers

22. Conclusions • Class inequality exists on all measures, 1970s-present • As class inequality increases, gaps between children increase • Class effects are not increasing • Except effect of education on smoking • Under economic squeeze, parents find ways to protect kids