who expressed various forms of warmth and affection to their child every day in the past month,
by parent gender: 1997
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The majority of parents with children under the age of 13 demonstrate some expression of warmth and affection to their child daily, such as hugging or showing them physical affection, telling them that they love them, and telling them that they appreciate something that they did. Mothers are more likely than fathers to report showing their children warmth and affection. For example, in 1997, eighty-five percent of mothers told their child that they love him/her, compared with 62 percent of fathers. These displays of warmth by both mothers and fathers decreased as children got older for all three behaviors.
Source: Estimates supplied by Sandra Hofferth, University of Maryland, based on data from the 1997 Panel Study of Income Dynamics - Child Development Supplement. As reported in Child Trends. (2002). Charting parenthood: A statistical portrait of fathers and mothers in America. Washington, DC: Author.
| Hugged or showed physical affection to their child | Told their child that they love him/her | Told their child that they appreciated something he or she did | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mothers | Fathers | Mothers | Fathers | Mothers | Fathers | |
| Total | 87 | 73 | 85 | 62 | 55 | 37 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin (a) | ||||||
| White, non-Hispanic | 93 | 76 | 91 | 65 | 56 | 36 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 75 | 56 | 76 | 45 | 56 | 40 |
| Hispanic | 81 | 73 | 77 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Other | 78 | 61 | 76 | 40 | 53 | 32 |
| Poverty Status | ||||||
| Poor (0 to 99% poverty) | 78 | 67 | 80 | 63 | 55 | 44 |
| Extreme poverty (at 50% or less) | 78 | 58 | 80 | 60 | 49 | 47 |
| Nonpoor | 90 | 74 | 87 | 61 | 55 | 36 |
| 100% to 199% of poverty | 88 | 74 | 85 | 60 | 58 | 43 |
| 200% to 299% of poverty | 86 | 73 | 86 | 58 | 53 | 32 |
| 300% or more of poverty | 93 | 74 | 88 | 64 | 55 | 34 |
| Age of Child | ||||||
| 0-2 years | 98 | 90 | 95 | 80 | 73 | 56 |
| 3-5 years | 93 | 84 | 91 | 69 | 66 | 44 |
| 6-9 years | 87 | 70 | 85 | 55 | 48 | 31 |
| 10-12 years | 74 | 50 | 72 | 45 | 39 | 17 |
| a. Persons of Hispanic origin
may be of any race. Source: Estimates provided by Sandra Hofferth, University of Maryland, based on data from the 1997 Panel Study of Income Dynamics - Child Development Supplement. As reported in Child Trends. (2002). Charting parenthood: A statistical portrait of fathers and mothers in America. Washington, DC: Author. |
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Overall, in 1999, the majority of adolescents reported positive relationships with their resident parents (more than 60 percent). Positive relationships between adolescents and their parents, both mothers and fathers, were more common when both resident parents were the biological parents of the child than when there was a single biological parent or one biological and one nonbiological parent. Note that for single parents, relationships are measured among a different group of children for the mother than for the father. For these families, differences in outcomes between mothers and fathers could be due to characteristics of the parents, or characteristics of the children that live with them. Also note that for biological/other parent families, a greater share of biological parents are mothers and a greater share of other parents are fathers.
Note: For this indicator, a positive parent-adolescent
relationship is based on a youth-reported scale of parental behaviors toward
the youth (e.g., praising, helping, criticizing, or blaming the youth; canceling
plans with the youth). Adolescents are reporting on parents and parent figures
who live with the adolescent.
Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey
of Youth - 1997, Rounds 1 and 3.
| Mother | Father | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 67.6 | 63.5 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin(b) | ||
| White, non-Hispanic | 69.3 | 65.0 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 68.0 | 55.6 |
| Hispanic | 61.9 | 60.8 |
| Other | 56.3 | 63.5 |
| Family Structure | ||
| Two biological parents | 71.5 | 65.9 |
| Two parents (biological and other)(c) | 62.6 | 54.0 |
| One biological parent | 61.8 | 59.6 |
| Parent's Highest Level of Education(d) | ||
| Less than high school degree | 61.7 | 60.2 |
| High school degree | 65.8 | 58.6 |
| Some college | 67.3 | 64.5 |
| College graduate | 71.6 | 67.3 |
| a. A positive relationship is
measured as a score of 15 or greater on a parental supportiveness scale of
20. This score corresponds roughly to a response of "usually" on questions
about parents praising and helping the adolescent, and "almost never" to
questions about parents criticizing, blaming, or canceling plans with the
adolescent. b. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. c. This includes families with one biological parent and one nonbiological parent figure in the household. This resident nonbiological parent figure can be a step-parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, spouse or romantic partner of the biological parent, or a relative or other adult who is "like a parent" to the respondent. A greater share of biological parents are mothers and a greater share of other parents are fathers. d. In two-parent households, "parental education" refers to the highest level of education attained between the two resident parents/parent figures. Note: Analyses are based on a universe of adolescents aged 12-14, who lived with a mother or mother figure, or father or father figure in 1999. For single parents, relationships are measured among a different group of children for the mother than for the father. For these families, differences in outcomes between mothers and fathers could be due to characteristics of the parents, or characteristics of the children that live with them. Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1997, Rounds 1 and 3. |
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Mothers are more likely than fathers to be aware of their adolescents' close friends, as well as their activities, regardless of family structure. Data for 2000 indicate that mothers were slightly more likely to be aware of their adolescent's friends and activities when they resided with the biological father of the child (57 percent) than when they were the sole biological parent, or part of a biological parent/nonbiological parent couple (51 percent each). Fathers in either two-parent or one-parent biological families had higher levels of awareness (31 percent) than did fathers who were part of a one biological and one nonbiological parent couple (20 percent). Note that for single parents, awareness is measured among a different group of children for the mother than for the father. For these families, differences in outcomes between mothers and fathers could be due to characteristics of the parents, or characteristics of the children that live with them. Also note that for biological/other parent families, a greater share of biological parents are mothers and a greater share of other parents are fathers.
Note: For this indicator, parental awareness is measured
by the adolescent's report of the degree to which their parents know "some"
or "most" things about their close friends, close friends' parents, company
when not at home, and teachers and school activities. Adolescents are reporting
on parents and parent figures who live with the adolescent.
Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey
of Youth - 1997, Rounds 1 and 4.
| Mother | Father | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 55.0 | 29.2 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin(b) | ||
| White, non-Hispanic | 56.0 | 29.4 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 55.6 | 27.0 |
| Hispanic | 53.2 | 32.4 |
| Other | 42.9 | 23.7 |
| Family Structure | ||
| Two biological parents | 57.3 | 31.2 |
| Two parents (biological and other)(c) | 51.4 | 19.5 |
| One biological parent | 51.5 | 30.9 |
| Parental Education(d) | ||
| Less than high school degree | 51.5 | 29.2 |
| High school degree | 55.0 | 28.9 |
| Some college | 55.6 | 29.4 |
| College graduate | 55.5 | 29.3 |
| a. Awareness is measured as a
score of 10 or greater on a parental awareness and monitoring scale of 0-16.
This score corresponds roughly to a youth report of the parent knowing "some"
to "most" things about the youth's (a) close friends, (b) close friends'
parents, (c) company when not at home, and (d) teachers and school activities.
b. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. c. This includes families with one biological parent and one nonbiological parent figure in the household. This resident nonbiological parent figure can be a step-parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, spouse or romantic partner of the biological parent, or a relative or other adult who is "like a parent" to the respondent. A greater share of biological parents are mothers and a greater share of other parents are fathers. d. In two-parent households, "parental education" refers to the highest level of education attained between the two residential parents/parent figures. Note: Analyses are based on a universe of adolescents, aged 12-14, who lived with a mother or mother figure, or father or father figure in 2000. For single parents, awareness is measured among a different group of children for the mother than for the father. For these families, differences in outcomes between mothers and fathers could be due to characteristics of the parents, or characteristics of the children that live with them. Source: Child Trends' analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1997, Rounds 1 and 4. |
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In two-parent families, children under age 13 spent an average of 1 hour and 46 minutes engaged in activities with their fathers and 2 hours and 21 minutes doing so with their mothers on a daily basis in 1997. This was substantially more time than children in single-parent families spent with their fathers (25 minutes) and mothers (1 hour and 16 minutes). Note that children in both family types spent more time with their mothers than with their fathers. Also, the amount of time that children spent with either parent generally decreased with age. Nonresidential parents are not presented in this indicator.
Source: Estimates supplied by J. Sandberg, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, based on data from the 1997 Panel Study of Income Dynamics - Child Development Supplement. As reported in Child Trends. (2002). Charting parenthood: A statistical portrait of fathers and mothers in America. Washington, DC: Author.
| Two-parent families | Single-parent families | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fathers | Mothers | Fathers | Mothers | |
| Total | 1:46 | 2:21 | 0:25 | 1:16 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin(a) | ||||
| White, non-Hispanic | 1:48 | 2:21 | 0:31 | 1:13 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 1:11 | 1:55 | 0:17 | 1:12 |
| Hispanic | 1:46 | 2:32 | 0:32 | 2:09 |
| Other | 2:06 | 2:33 | 0:24 | 1:06 |
| Age of Child | ||||
| 0-2 years | 2:07 | 3:14 | 0:45 | 2:16 |
| 3-5 years | 1:53 | 2:29 | 0:24 | 1:34 |
| 6-9 years | 1:36 | 2:04 | 0:18 | 0:57 |
| 10-12 years | 1:30 | 1:45 | 0:20 | 0:44 |
| a. Persons of Hispanic origin
may be of any race. Source: Estimates supplied by J. Sandberg, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, based on data from the 1997 Panel Study of Income Dynamics - Child Development Supplement. As reported in Child Trends. (2002). Charting parenthood: A statistical portrait of fathers and mothers in America. Washington, DC: Author. |
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Overall, 60 percent of children from non-intact families had some contact with their nonresident fathers and 78 percent had contact with their nonresident mothers in 1997. Children living with a parent with higher levels of education were more likely to have had contact with their nonresident parent. Seventy-four percent of children whose resident mother had a college degree had contact with their nonresident father in the previous year, compared with 44 percent of children whose mothers had less than a high school degree. Likewise, 88 percent of children whose resident father had graduated college had contact with their nonresident mother, compared with 69 percent of those living with fathers who had not graduated from high school.
Source: Estimates calculated by Child Trends based on analyses of the 1998 April Supplement of the Current Population Survey. As reported in Child Trends. (2002). Charting parenthood: A statistical portrait of fathers and mothers in America. Washington, DC: Author.
| Contact with nonresident father | Contact with nonresident mother | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 60 | 78 |
| Race and Hispanic Origin (d) | ||
| White, non-Hispanic | 68 | 81 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 51 | 70 |
| Hispanic | 48 | 63 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 53 | * |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 50 | * |
| Poverty Status | ||
| Poor (0 to 99% poverty) | 50 | 72 |
| Extreme poverty (at 50% or less) | 47 | 69 |
| Nonpoor | ||
| 100% to 199% of poverty | 58 | 70 |
| 200% to 299% of poverty | 66 | 77 |
| 300% or more of poverty | 71 | 84 |
| Resident Parent's Highest Level of Education | ||
| Less than high school | 44 | 69 |
| High school graduate or equivalent | 61 | 76 |
| Some college(e) | 65 | 81 |
| College graduate | 74 | 88 |
| *. This information is not reported
due to an insufficient number of cases. a. "Contact" indicates that the child spent time with his/her nonresident father/mother on at least one day of the previous year. b. All demographic characteristics (excluding income and poverty status) are as of March of the following year. c. Estimates are calculated only for households with a child (under age 21) who lives with one biological parent and whose other parent is absent. d. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. e. Some college includes vocational or technical school after high school, as well as college attendance. Source: Child Trends' analysis of the 1998 April Supplement of the Current Population Survey. As reported in Child Trends. (2002). Charting Parenthood: A Statistical Portrait of Fathers and Mothers in America. Washington, DC: Author |
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