Union dissolutions not only impact mothers’ economic circumstances but also how they use their time in the labor market and at home. Nevertheless, few studies have explored how mothers’ time with children evolve over the course of a union dissolution longitudinally, and whether this differs by other characteristics of their time together such as activity-type and quality of time spent. I use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics’ Child Development Supplement (PSID-CDS) to examine whether a union dissolution leads to any change in mothers’ time with children. Random effects regressions of various time-use outcomes on an indicator for union dissolution confirm that separated mothers want to preserve their time with children, and they balance their post-dissolution increase in employment hours through reductions in housework instead. Findings are discussed in the context of policies impacting mothers’ work-life balance, and how these can be relevant in the context of family disruptions.

Accepted Oral Presentation