Motherhood and Employment in China: Gender Asymmetries in Multi-Generational Families.

This article examines how motherhood affects Chinese women's labor force participation and how multi-generational living arrangements moderate this "motherhood employment penalty." Using longitudinal data from the China Family Panel Studies (2010–2018), the study finds that having young children (aged 0–3) significantly reduces women's likelihood of employment, but coresidence with their own mother (matrilocal living) substantially mitigates this negative effect, especially in urban areas. In contrast, living with fathers or fathers-in-law does not alleviate the employment penalty, highlighting a gendered intergenerational division of childcare labor within extended families. The findings underscore the importance of considering family structure and gender asymmetries in understanding mothers' labor market outcomes in China's evolving social context.