Journal Article

Does the Amount of Time Mothers Spend With Children or Adolescents Matter?

Denny, Kathleen E., Milkie, Melissa A., Nomaguchi, Kei M.

2015

Overview

Although intensive mothering ideology underscores the irreplaceable nature of mothers' time for children's optimal development, empirical testing of this assumption is scant. Using time diary and survey data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement, the authors examined how the amount of time mothers spent with children ages 3–11 (N = 1,605) and adolescents 12–18 (N = 778) related to offspring behavioral, emotional, and academic outcomes and adolescent risky behavior. Both time mothers spent engaged with and accessible to offspring were assessed. In childhood and adolescence, the amount of maternal time did not matter for offspring behaviors, emotions, or academics, whereas social status factors were important. For adolescents, more engaged maternal time was related to fewer delinquent behaviors, and engaged time with parents together was related to better outcomes. Overall, the amount of mothers' time mattered in nuanced ways, and, unexpectedly, only in adolescence.

• Publisher: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc,The National Council on Family Relations,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: Academic achievement / Academic staff / adolescence / Adolescents / Autobiographical literature / Autobiographical Materials / Behavior / Behavior problems / Child Development / child outcomes / Childhood / Children / Emotions / Empirical research / Family Income / Ideologies / Income / Intergenerational relationships / Juvenile Delinquency / mother-child relations / Motherhood / Mothers / Parenting / Parents / Parents & parenting / Risk behavior / Social classes / Social factors / Social status / Teenagers / Time / time diary methods