Children`s time use in immigrant and native families: National evidence from Australia

Abstract

Although numerous studies have looked closely at determinants of developmental outcomes for children of immigrants, few studies have examined these children`s time use at the national level, and even fewer have focused on early childhood. This study investigates the role of familial immigration background on children`s time use using three waves of large-scale data (from age 4–9) from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Results showed that children in immigrant families spent more time reading than children in native families, whereas children in native families spent more time in non-structured social and other activities. Importantly, the differences found between children in immigrant and native families were similar on weekdays and weekends when children are free from institutionalized routines. Furthermore, the differences in time use between children in immigrant and native families were found mostly for children of immigrants from non-Anglophone countries. Finally, differences in time use between children in immigrant and native families did not change as children aged. Policy and theoretical implications are discussed.