Abstract

In this study, I examine the effects of grandparental hospitalization on grandchildren's educational investment, emphasizing different patterns based on the grandchildren's gender. Utilizing a staggered difference-in-differences approach and five waves from the 2012-2020 China Family Panel Survey (CFPS), the analysis reveals that in co-residential families, grandparental hospitalization results in a 20% reduction in educational expenditure for girls.

Further investigation indicates that the burden of family caregiving primarily falls on mothers, with housework responsibilities often shifted to girls. To explore the underlying mechanisms, I suggest that the implementation of long-term care insurance could help mitigate the negative impacts on both mothers and daughters. Additionally, this gender disparity may be influenced by parental intentions regarding child caregiving and persistent gender norms.