Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules and Child Development: Evidence from Dual-Earner Families in Hong Kong

Abstract

With the emergence of 24/7 economies, the practice of working nonstandard schedules has become increasingly common. This trend raises a concern about how parental nonstandard work schedules affect child development outcomes. Using data from dual-earner families with young children (age 5–6) in Hong Kong, this study examined the association between parental work schedules and child development. It also examined under what conditions parental nonstandard work schedules affect child development, with a focus on the moderating role of family income. Results showed that paternal nonstandard work schedules were negatively associated with overall child development. This association was particularly salient among low-income families. By contrast, maternal nonstandard work schedules were not associated with child development outcomes. These findings suggest that it is important to equip parents, in particular low-income fathers, to address challenges resulting from their nonstandard work schedules.

Parenting in a 24/7 Economy: Mothers’ Non-standard Work Schedules and Involvement in Children’s Education

“…Guided by cognitive-behavioral and social learning principles, Workplace Triple P has been shown to be effective in reducing work-family conflicts and enhancing parenting efficacy among working parents ( Hartung and Hahlweg, 2011 ; Haslam et al, 2013 ). Though it has yet to be used in the local context, the demonstrated effectiveness of the original Triple P for Hong Kong parents ( Leung et al, 2003 , 2014 ) suggests that Workplace Triple P is also likely to benefit working parents in Hong Kong ( Kim, 2021 ), where practitioners are ready to offer the evidence-based parenting program ( Kim, 2019a , 2020a ).…”

“…Recognizing that parental experiences at the workplace may spill over to the family, a growing body of research has examined the association between parental work schedules and child wellbeing ( Kaiser et al, 2017 ; Kachi et al, 2021 ). In the Chinese context, for instance, recent studies by Han (2020) and Kim (2021) showed that parental non-standard work schedules were associated with various developmental outcomes for young children in Hong Kong and mainland China, respectively. Previous research, however, has tended to focus on the direct linkage.…”

“…It is possible that individuals may have a second job that often involves a non-standard schedule ( Laß and Wooden, 2021 ), which may lead to underestimation of the prevalence of non-standard work schedules in Hong Kong. Last, while the current investigation assessed mothers’ work schedules and their involvement in children’s education, some scholars have asserted that fathers’ work schedules may have differential effects on parenting outcomes ( Davis et al, 2006 ; Kim, 2021 ). Though research on fatherhood indicates that fathers have become similar to mothers in experiencing the dual demands of parenting and employment ( Nomaguchi and Johnson, 2016 ), the gendered division of labor still prevails ( García-Román, 2021 ), particularly in Hong Kong ( Leung, 2018 ).…”

“…The expansion of Hong Kong’s service economy has also speeded the development of a 24/7 economy ( Presser, 2003 ), in which a substantial proportion of employees work non-standard schedules. In a recent study of dual earner families with young children in Hong Kong, Kim (2021) reported that 14.4% of mothers worked non-standard hours. Such employment trends, paired with a body of evidence showing the positive impacts that parental involvement can produce in Chinese contexts ( Lau et al, 2011 ; Wu and Sun, 2020 ), warrant systematic investigation to determine the association between mothers’ work characteristics and their involvement in children’s education.…”

The Impacts of Dual Earner Income on Work-Life Balance

“…In Hong Kong particularly, Kim (2021) studied the relationships between nonstandard work schedules (NWSs) and child development. The study revealed that Paternal NWSs were found to be negatively related to total child development.…”