Changes in personal attitudes and perceived public opinions towards external childcare

Abstract

This study investigates how the transition to parenthood relates to changes in personal attitudes and perceived public opinion towards external childcare for children under three. We use German panel data which capture cultural perceptions such as individual attitudes and perceived public opinions regarding day care for under threes. We analyze how both variables change during the family formation phase using panel regressions with linear between-within (hybrid) models. The findings suggest that cultural perceptions are strongly influenced by life course events. After their first child is born, parents are less skeptical of day care for under threes; however, we found no systematic changes in perceived public opinion. The results show an increasing gap between personal attitudes of parents and their perception of public opinion regarding childcare acceptance. These diverging views point to a conflict between the wish to use external childcare and societal expectations, which has strong implications for gender equality.