A Nonlinear Effect of the Number of Children on the Division of Household Labor

Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 3,472), the effect of the number of children on a husband's relative contribution to the household work is examined. When couples' mean age, employment status, income, education, employment hours, and gender-role attitudes are controlled, the number of children living in the home shows a nonlinear and U-shaped effect on the husband's relative share in the household work. The husband's share is the smallest when three children live in the home. It is largest when there are no children and when there are five or more children in the home. When the amount of time each spouse spends on the household work is examined, this U-shaped effect is found to be a result of the differential responses of the husband and wife to the increasing demand created by children.