Sandwich generation in China: Exchange pattern with older parents and educational expenditure on young children

The sandwich generation have dual care commitments to both ageing parents and children, so balancing the distribution of resources to older and younger generations is an important issue for them. Using data from the (China Family Panel Studies, 2018, N = 1,477), we investigated the associations between financial exchange patterns with older parents and educational expenditure on young children from the perspective of sandwich generation couples. The results indicate that individuals tended to spend less on their children's education when they had obligatory financial exchange patterns with their ageing parents compared to their counterparts with independent exchange patterns. The associations between financial exchange patterns and educational expenditure on young children differed between low- and high-income families. This study contributes to understanding the complexity of fulfilling the multigenerational support commitments of the sandwich generation and calls for more social support for such individuals.     

When Parenting Pays Off: Influences of Parental Financial Socialization on Children’s Outcomes in Emerging Adulthood

This study examined the influences of parental financial socialization during adolescence on emerging adults’ financial outcomes using Family Financial Socialization Theory. It utilized two waves of data from 307 triads—consisting of parents and emerging adults—from a large city in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Time one was reported in 2012 by fathers and mothers when their 13 to 17-year-old children were adolescents and time two in 2017 by their emerging adult children 5 years later. Results of path analyses revealed that responsible parental financial behavior at Time 1 predicted greater financial satisfaction and lower financial independence for their emerging-adult children at Time 2. In addition, parental financial distress at Time 1 predicted lower financial satisfaction, higher financial distress, and higher financial independence for their children at Time 2. Implications for practitioners, educators, and parents are discussed.

     

Economic recession and migrant/minority youth in Western Europe and the United States

This paper considers the educational opportunities and employment futures of the children of migrants and minorities in Western Europe and the US beyond the lowest-paid and lowest-valued jobs currently held by their parents. Given that the economic recession has aggravated unemployment in the countries of origin of workers migrating to both Northern Europe and the US, it seems likely that workers will still want to go abroad. On the other hand, these workers in both regions have been concentrated in a highly segmented labor market in which they have little opportunity for professional advancement. A thriving black market for illegal workers also exists both for the US and for Northern Europe. Since this labor market structure shows no signs of fundamental change through natural or policy-directed means, it appears unlikely that migrants' children can expect any significant enhancement of their professional prospects. An alternative educational strategy might involve public commitment to provide effective education, training, and subsidized employment for all young people. Some type of allowance would be guaranteed to all young people engaging in further education and training schemes. Since the state is responsible for free elementary and secondary education, there may be a convincing argument that public responsibility extends to providing free further education and access to employment as well, as part of a forward-looking strategy for overcoming youth unemployment. Obviously, the current conservative climate across industrial nations is more inclined to blame the sloth of the victim who is unemployed. It is a legitimate question, however, as to how far a society can allow itself to widen the gap between rich and poor before it is obligated to change things.     

Intergenerational effects of further vocational training in Germany

ABSTRACT

This article analyses the influence of unemployed parents’ further vocational training on their children’s future apprenticeship and employment opportunities. We focus on households receiving means-tested benefits in Germany and investigate whether parents’ further vocational training helps avoid an intergenerational transmission of unemployment. Parents’ further vocational training can affect children’s future apprenticeship and employment opportunities directly, for instance by raising the value attributed to education and training within the family. Indirect effects via parents’ improved employment opportunities are possible as well. The sample consists of adolescents who were 14–17 years old when their parents participated in a further vocational training programme. We evaluate apprenticeship and employment outcomes for the young adults at ages 17–23 using entropy balancing methods on the basis of rich large-scale register data. Our findings indicate significantly positive effects of parents’ further vocational training on children’s apprenticeship enrolment but non-significant or negative effects on children’s regular employment at young ages. Moreover, mediation analysis gives evidence that these effects are partly mediated via an increase in parents’ own employment opportunities. Overall, our analyses indicate that parents’ further vocational training improves the qualifications of the next generation as well.     

Reviewing changes to the Child Disability Allowance: Giving parents a voice

Abstract

The Diabetes Clinic at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children has been concerned at the impact of changes made in 1998 to eligibility for the Child Disability Allowance on families caring for a child with diabetes. A survey of those families was conducted to obtain their views on the changes. Results showed the number of families receiving Child Disability Allowance since the changes has significantly declined. Parents indicated the allowance should be automatic for children with insulin dependent diabetes as the disability is chronic, incurable, requires extra care and attention, and is a financial and emotional burden for families. Many felt the application process was unjust, incomplete and inadequate. The results formed part of a submission to the Department of Family and Community Services evaluation, giving parents a voice in this process. This project illustrates the capacity of social workers to attempt to impact on social policy within the context of their clinical practice.     

Emotionally Focused Family Therapy and Play Therapy for Young Children Whose Parents Are Divorced

ABSTRACT

Divorce is common and can pose risks to those involved. Although divorce affects all parts of the family system, young children face extraneous challenges due to their unique developmental stage and limited cognitive ability. Emotionally focused family therapy (EFFT) works to enhance attachment bonds by restructuring a family’s negative interaction cycle and can be useful for repairing relationships between parents and their children who are suffering negative effects of parental divorce. Whereas adults have the skills to express themselves verbally, young children often use imaginary play to convey their emotional experiences and unmet attachment needs. By using play therapy techniques within an EFFT framework, adults and children can better communicate their perspectives concerning difficult life events such as parental divorce.     

Chinese Parents’ Perspectives on Adolescent Sexuality Education

ABSTRACT

There is growing interest in China to understand how young people learn about sexuality, but there are few existing studies about the role of parents as sex educators of their children. This study surveyed 694 Chinese parents of adolescents in three cities about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding sexuality education for their children. The majority supported sexuality education, yet few parents had provided it. High-income parents had more favorable sexual attitudes and, in turn, were more likely to educate children about sexuality. The findings provide insight into parents’ role in adolescents’ sexual behavior and can be useful to sexuality education professionals.     

When the Kids Live at Home: Coresidence,Parental Assets,and Economic Insecurity

This study uses National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort data from 1994 through 2012 (N = 16,108 person‐years, 4,671 individuals) to investigate how coresidence with adult children influences asset levels among parents. It applies hybrid mixed effects regression models that partition between‐ and within‐person variation to estimate parental savings and financial assets over time and across different households. The results suggest that coresidence with adult children led to decreases in parental assets and savings. In the years in which their children lived at home, parents held 24% less in financial assets and 23% less in savings when compared with the years when adult children were not present. By expanding previous research that shows a relationship between increasing economic insecurity, limited wealth, and the rise in coresidence among young adults, this study also offers broader implications for the interconnectivity of financial hardship across generations.     

Influence of Expectations for Parental Support on Intergenerational Coresidence Behavior

Abstract

Using the 1988 and 1992 waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), this study examines whether the expectation of support by young adults is widely held and if such a belief predicts if young adults will at some point live with their parents before their final launch. At issue is whether or not the increase in young adults in the parental home represents a normative shift in the expectations that children have of their parents or perhaps is indicative of some other process. The findings suggest that expectation of support does in fact predict living at home but only 31% of the respondents felt that parents were obligated to let their adult children live with them. Findings are placed within a broader context of how shifts in age at first marriage and educational attainment influence young adults' transitions out of the home.     

Intergenerational Transfers to Adult Children in Europe: Do Social Policies Matter?

Understanding the role of social policies in intergenerational transfers from old to young people is especially important in times of population aging. This paper focuses on the influences of social expenditures and social services on financial support and on practical help from older parents to their adult children based on the first two waves from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, N = 60,250 dyads from 13 European countries). Multilevel models showed that social policy plays an important role for intergenerational transfer patterns: The more public assistance was provided to citizens, the more likely parents supported their adult children financially and practically, but this support was less intense in terms of money and time given. Thus, the analyses support the specialization hypothesis that posits a division of labor between family and state for downward intergenerational transfers.     

Grandparenting and support from adult children: Does children’s international migration make a difference for Chinese older adults?

ABSTRACT

Guided by social exchange theory, this study investigates the association between grandparenting and support from adult children, and the role of children’s international migration in moderating such association. Data were derived from a 2012 survey of older adults in Beijing, China (478 adult children nested in 300 older parents). The results of independent cluster logistic and linear regressions showed that regardless of children’s migration status, grandparenting was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of receiving household help and personal care, but not with emotional or financial support from children. Children’s migration status moderated the associations between grandparenting and receiving support from children. Theoretical implications for research and practical implications for services and policies are discussed.     

Social workers' views of parents of emotionally disturbed children: Replicating a US study

Abstract

This article reports the results of a survey of Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) members in relation to their views of parents of emotionally disturbed children. The survey involved a random sample of AASW members. It replicates a US study of members of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) conducted by Johnson, Renaud, Schmidt and Stanek (1998). The study was conducted in order to see if there was any similarity in the views of United States (US) and Australian social workers in regard to their view of these parents. The data from the Australian sample using the US Providers' Beliefs About Parents (PBAP) instrument did not support the conclusions of the study in the US. This result emphasises the importance of replication studies when transferring measurement instruments from one country to another.     

Effects of Parental Divorce on Children's Financial Support for College Students

No-fault divorce laws, and the lowering of the age of minority from 21 to 18 years have combined to have unintended negative impact on the children of divorce. Previous research has shown that children whose parents are divorced are at increased risk for emotional problems and a reduced standard of living. This study was conducted to learn more about the effects of parental divorce on a young person's access to a college education. A questionnaire was developed to learn how students pay for college, and what non-financial support they receive from parents. The questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample 9 of 19 students at a state university. Findings indicated that young people whose parents were divorced received higher Pell grants, were more likely to provide more of their own necessities, and were more likely to repay their college loans themselves. Further, young people whose parents were divorced were much more likely to have their material and fnancial needs met by their custodial parents rather than their noncustodial parents. Implications are that young people with divorced parents may have less financial support for college from their family, and the support they receive is much more likely to come from their custodial than noncustodial parent. Changes in child support laws and financial aid policies are recommended.     

Helping Out the Kids: Expectations About Parental Support in Young Adulthood

This paper examines the expectations of very young adults (age 18) and their mothers about financial support that parents might provide under a variety of situations common in young adulthood. Using representative data from women and one of their children, we examine differences in expectations between mothers and children and model variation in these expectations. We find that a lower proportion of mothers expect to provide support than their children expect them to, with particularly large gaps between mothers and sons. Further, there are substantial differences in support priorities. Many mothers would support only a married child and others only an unmarried one; similarly, some mothers would support only an unmarried child at home, whereas many others would only support a child away. Although some of these differences reflect differences in resources, most suggest disagreements and confusion about Americans' family values.     

The Role of Parents in Introducing Children to Financial Services: Evidence from Ghana-YouthSave

Financial capability—financial knowledge, skills, and access to financial services—may help smooth transitions to adulthood for youth and is affected by socialization experiences with parents and other family members. Among a sample of youth and their parents enrolled in the YouthSave experiment in Ghana (n?=?4,065), this study examined whether physical access to financial services and/or visiting banks with parents or other family members was associated with youth’s perceptions and understanding of financial institutions. We found a statistically significant association between visiting the bank with a parent or other family member and youth’s attitudes (β?=?1.45, p?<?0.001) and understanding of financial services (β?=?2.96, p?<?0.001), controlling for other factors like household income and assets. Conversely, physical access (distance, travel time) was not associated with financial services attitudes or understanding. Parents may play an important role in introducing their children to financial services. Practitioners and policy makers should consider ways to include parents in efforts to promote financial capability among youth.     

Interventions to Strengthen Noncustodial Father Involvement in the Lives of Their Children

Abstract

This paper describes quantitative evaluation of a program designed to increase noncustodial fathers' visitation frequency and financial assistance to their children. The initial program objectives were to enhance parental skills and work opportunities for fathers. Discussion group data revealed that additional obstacles to father involvement included conflicts between parents and substance misuse and abuse. Communication skills, anger management, alternative methods of coping with stress and increased activities for families were added to the program components in response to these needs. Future plans for strengthening community connections to expand educational, training and employment opportunities as well as increased outreach to families were based on additional assessment of interventions needed for successful co-parenthood.     

Significant Family Dynamics Related to Postdivorce Adjustment in Parents and Children

ABSTRACT

This study concentrates on the postdivorce adjustment of parents and children in families with shared parenting time arrangements. Thirty divorcing parents with children aged 12 to 59 months old were interviewed using a semistructured telephone interview regarding their early experiences in the divorce process. Findings showed that work–family balance issues were related to postdivorce parental adjustment for mothers. Interparental hostility was related to child alienation and paternal overnight stays. Length of time since physical separation was related to number of overnight stays. These results shed light on the early experiences of families with young children going through the divorce process.     

Adult-child activities and child development outcomes in developing countries: an empirical investigation in Thailand

ABSTRACT

Is doing activities with young children important for their development? This study aims to examine the effects of adult-child activities on cognitive and non-cognitive development in pre-school children in developing countries by using Thailand as a case study. The adult-child activities of interest are reading, storytelling, singing, outings, and playing. Using national representative secondary data on children aged 3–4 years from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS4) of Thailand, our results show that while the level of children‘s participation in these activities is relatively high compared to other developing countries, the proportion of children with “normal” cognitive and non-cognitive development is still low. We find that only singing, outings, and playing have positive statistical effects for children who live with both parents (with playing having the highest positive effect), but for children who do not live with both parents or live with others, the positive effect remains only for singing. On the other hand, storytelling, singing, and outings seems to have statistically significant positive effects for non-cognitive outcomes among children who live with both parents (with outings having the highest positive effect). No activities have statistically significant effects on non-cognitive development of children who do not live with both parents. The recommendations call for greater attention on advocating adult-child activities in the context of developing countries.     

Childhood Overweight: Does Quality of Parental Childcare Time Matter?

This study investigates the impact of parental primary childcare time (quality time) and parental secondary childcare time (multi-tasking time) on children’s overweight probability using data collected from each parent and one child aged 9–16 from 311 families in Houston MSA, US. We find that the primary childcare time is not marginally more important than the secondary childcare time and paternal childcare time is especially important for young children (age 9–11). Furthermore, if parents of overweight children adopt the time inputs of parents of healthy weight children, the predicted overweight probability decreases by ~15% on average, ceteris paribus. If either one of the parents is completely uninvolved, the overweight probability increases by ~21% on average, ceteris paribus.     

The Management of Household and Childcare Tasks and Relationship Satisfaction in Dual-Earner Families

Abstract

The investigation examined the mental work associated with managing a household and raising young children and how such mental work might be associated with relationship satisfaction. Forty-five parents with young children completed questionnaires that assessed marital satisfaction and mothers' and fathers' perceptions of who did what in their household in terms of household tasks, childcare tasks, household management, and childcare management, as well as how much they worried about the completion of each of these tasks. Results indicate that fathers' marital satisfaction and mothers' marital satisfaction differed in terms of the division of labor and management of labor.