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If Men Do More Housework, Do Their Wives Have More Babies?

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Abstract

We analyze data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey waves 1–6, to investigate whether the housework and childcare contributions of coupled Australian men with one child affect the likelihood that their wives will have a second child. We find no evidence that the way housework or childcare is shared has an effect, nor that the amount of men’s contribution to housework or childcare has an effect. In addition, the effect of men’s housework and childcare time on fertility does not appear to be mediated through its effect on their wives’ housework and childcare.

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Correspondence to Lyn Craig.

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This paper uses unit record data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. The HILDA Project was initiated and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and is managed by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (Melbourne Institute). The findings and views reported in this paper, however, are those of the author and should not be attributed to either FaHCSIA or the Melbourne Institute.

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Craig, L., Siminski, P. If Men Do More Housework, Do Their Wives Have More Babies?. Soc Indic Res 101, 255–258 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9644-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9644-1

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