Can mothers' time preferences predict their children's educational outcomes?

Abstract

This paper studies parents' time preferences and adolescents' future educational outcomes. We combine time preference data on adolescents and mothers, measured in 1966 and 1968, with register data on education and labor outcomes up to 2015. Results show that children of patient mothers have higher grades, are more likely to be enrolled in academic elementary school tracks, and are more likely to attain post‐secondary education. However, the mother's time preferences are not significantly associated with the adolescent's choice of upper secondary school program or completion. The unique Swedish data also allow us to shed some light on potential mechanisms.