Time for Children, One's Spouse and Oneself among Parents Who Work Nonstandard Hours

Using data from the 2003 and 2004 American Time Use Surveys, this article examines nonstandard work hours and their relationship to parents' family, leisure and personal care time – informing the discussion of the costs and benefits of working nonstandard hours. The results suggest that parents who work nonstandard evening hours spend less time in some child-related activities than their counterparts who work standard daytime hours, but spend more time and more time alone with children. Married parents who work nonstandard hours spend less time with a spouse, and all parents with nonstandard hours get less sleep and watch less television than parents with standard work days.