time：2024-01-01
Zibin Huang, Xu Jiang, Ang Sun
In rapidly urbanizing societies, mother-child separation has a profound negative impact on children's development, especially in the context of large-scale migration. However, the factors that increase the likelihood of children becoming separated from migrating parents are not well understood. This study finds that during early childhood, especially at the age of 2, girls are less likely to become separated from their parents than boys. This phenomenon is due to son preference, which leads parents to attempt to have a second child around the time their firstborn daughter reaches 2 years old. Moreover, migrant women often stay in their hometowns during pregnancy, effectively preventing mother-daughter separation. Thus, despite the prevailing son preference, this cultural bias paradoxically protects girls from separation from their mothers in early childhood.
The study reveals that in regions with strong son preference, the likelihood of girls being left behind is significantly lower, particularly at age 2. By comparing regions with different policies, the study finds that gender differences in separation do not exist in areas with strict family planning policies, while the gender gap is prominent in areas with more relaxed policies like the "two-child policy" or the "1.5-child policy." The analysis suggests that this gender disparity is driven by the fertility motivations of parents, who aim to have a son by giving birth to a second child shortly after the birth of a firstborn daughter.
Additionally, the study explores the impact of mother-child separation on children's future development, particularly in education. It finds that girls who remain with their mothers during early childhood perform better academically and exhibit stronger cognitive and non-cognitive skills. This gender gap is more pronounced in areas where mothers are separated from their children, suggesting that the presence of mothers in early childhood plays a crucial role in girls' long-term development.
In conclusion, this study enhances existing literature by highlighting the gender differences in parent-child separation and suggesting that son preference paradoxically protects girls by delaying maternal migration. It provides new insights into addressing gender inequality in early childhood care in rural China and suggests ways to mitigate the negative effects of early separation on children's development.