Working Parentsthat year, or treats other children well that year. But the out-
come of academic education is the final state.
By age 16, if we look at Table 11.3, we find an unambig-
uous picture. The effect is negative if the mother returns to
work in the first twelve months. But it is positively benefi-
cial if she works thereafter.^8 The gross effect is even larger, as
we can see from the online Table A.11.1.
These findings are broadly in line with other research.
UK researchers have generally found that mother’s work
improves intellectual performance at all ages.^9 In contrast,
US work on the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
(NLSY) has suggested that, if the mother goes back to work
early, child cognitive performance suffers at ages three and
four, but the effect disappears by age six.^10 The broad con-
clusion has to be “Mothers of the world, relax”— unless
working outside of the home makes you less happy.
Unemployed Fathers
It is one thing to choose whether you want to work. It is
another thing to be able to find work if you want it. As
we have seen in Part I, unemployment has a devastating
Table 11.3. How children’s intellectual performance is affected by
mother’s work (ALSPAC)Proportion of time
mother worked
Effect on standardized intellectual performance at16 11 5In the 1st year −0.06 (.02) −0.05 (.03) 0.00 (.03)
Thereafter (up to
age shown)
0.11 (.03) 0.08 (.03) 0.08 (.03)