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In recent decades, normative expectations for parenthood have changed for both men and women, fertility has declined, and work–family arrangements have become more egalitarian. Previous studies indicate that the transition to parenthood and work–family arrangements both influence life satisfaction and do so differently for men and women. Drawing on constructivism and utility maximization, we theorize how gendered parenthood norms influence life satisfaction after the transition to parenthood, and how decisions regarding motherhood and fatherhood are made in order to maximize life satisfaction. We hypothesize that the rise of gender-egalitarian patterns has contributed to closing the parental happiness gap, and that the effects of motherhood and fatherhood on life satisfaction have converged. We test these assumptions by drawing on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1984-2015) and applying a series of hybrid panel regressions to estimate motherhood and fatherhood effects on life satisfaction in Western Germany over the last three decades. We then trace trends in these effects back to changing parenthood norms. The results indicate that the implications of parenthood have converged for men and women. As support for a gendered division of labor has lost ground, the transition to parenthood has become increasingly conducive to life satisfaction for both genders, and the parental happiness gap has vanished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In diesem Beitrag wird untersucht, wie sich das bedarfsgewichtete Pro-Kopf-Einkommen in Haushalten Alleinerziehender mit Kindern im Vergleich zu entsprechenden Haushalten mit verheirateten Eltern im Zuge der arbeits-, familien- und sozialpolitischen Reformen seit 1997 vor und nach staatlicher Umverteilung verändert hat. Zweitens wird mit Effekt-Dekompositionen analysiert, inwieweit Veränderungen der Einkommenssituation von alleinerziehenden und verheirateten Müttern auf Veränderungen ihrer Merkmale und deren Auswirkungen zurückgeführt werden können. Die Analysen basieren auf 19 Wellen des Sozio-ökonomischen Panels (SOEP) von 1997 bis 2015. Während das bedarfsgewichtete Netto-Pro-Kopf-Einkommen von alleinerziehenden Müttern auch dank staatlicher Transfer weitgehend unverändert geblieben ist, hat sich die Einkommenssituation von verheirateten Müttern vor allem aufgrund ihres steigenden Bildungsniveaus und ihrer gestiegener Erwerbstätigkeit verbessert. Die zunehmende Einkommensungleichheit zwischen beiden Familienformen kann demnach auf die zunehmend besseren Bildungsressourcen und die gesteigerte Arbeitsmarktaktivität verheirateter Mütter zurückgeführt werden, wohingegen Alleinerziehende vermehrt auf Sozialleistungen angewiesen waren. Using 19 waves from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1997–2015), we first focus on how pre-subsidy and post-subsidy incomes of single and married mothers with children have changed between 1997 and 2015 as a result of major state policy reforms. Second, we apply detailed effect decompositions to trace changes in the income of single and married mothers to changes in mothers' resources and to changes in how these resources affect maternal income. Our analysis shows rising income inequalities between single and married mothers. The growing inequalities are mainly the result of growing differences in education and employment. Married mothers increasingly hold higher educational degrees and are increasingly attached to the labor market, while single mothers have had to fall back on public transfers to maintain their income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article analyzes trends in the relationships among motherhood, employment, and life satisfaction in Germany and regresses them on changing motherhood norms. Background: Motherhood norms have changed in recent decades in Germany, and differences in labor force participation between mothers and women without children have decreased. We research whether differences in life satisfaction have decreased at the same time. Method: Analyses are based on the German Socio‐Economic Panel (1984–2015) and restricted to women aged 16 to 45 (N = 18,238). A series of hybrid panel regressions was used to determine intrapersonal and interpersonal motherhood and employment effects on life satisfaction over decades. Polynomial regressions were used to relate these effects to changing motherhood norms. Results: The negative effects of motherhood on life satisfaction are less prevalent today than they were in the past. The interpersonal maternal happiness gap has disappeared, and the intrapersonal motherhood effect on life satisfaction has increased during the past decades. Conclusion: As restrictive social norms for maternal employment have lost ground, the transition to motherhood has become increasingly conducive to life satisfaction for both working and nonworking mothers. Implication: Normative and public support of women's freedom to choose among different motherhood roles is key to reducing financial and time pressures of mothers and thereby increasing maternal life satisfaction. Further support is needed for mothers without partners or jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse the relationship between parenthood and quality of life in old age. Our main rationale is that the effect of having children on the quality of life varies with individual financial well-being as well as with the societal context, e.g. the welfare state and the economy. Analyses are based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (wave 2 and 4) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (wave 6) with respondents aged 50 plus from 19 European countries in all. We find the effect of parenthood on quality of life to depend on individual resources, the economy and social service expenditures. Older persons with difficulties in making ends meet, living in less affluent countries with lower gross domestic product per capita and welfare states with higher spending on social services benefit the most from parenthood in late life. Women and men in financial ease do not benefit from parenthood in old age. We do not find substantial gender differences in the relationship of parenthood and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]