Commuting Time, Gender and Parenting Time: Evidence from the American Time Use Survey

Simon Hirch , Bielefeld University
Kate Prickett, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington
Patrik Harnisch, Bielefeld University
Anna Oksuzyan, Bielefeld University

This study examines the association between commuting time and parenting time and whether these associations differ by parent and child gender. Background: Commuting consumes a substantial portion of daily time and energy, potentially limiting parents’ availability and capacity for parenting. Highly gendered expectations about work and family time are likely to shape the meanings and family implications of commuting. Therefore, we approach the analyses through a gender lens. Method: This study uses 17 waves of the American Time Use Survey (2003–2019), comprising an analytical sample of 20,717 commuting parents. We analyzed total, active, and passive parenting time, as well as the proportion of active parenting relative to total parenting time, using linear regression models. Differences in these associations by parent and child gender were examined through interaction terms. Results: Longer commutes were associated with less total, active, and passive parenting time. The negative association between commuting time and active parenting was significantly smaller for mothers than for fathers, and an increase in the proportion of active parenting relative to total parenting time was observed only for mothers. These patterns were similar across child gender. Conclusion: Commuting substantially constrains time available for parenting, underscoring its implications for family life. Mothers are more likely than fathers to maintain active involvement in childcare despite commuting demands, suggesting that extended commutes may reinforce gendered patterns of caregiving.

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 Presented in Session P6. Health, Mortality, and Ageing 2