Hispanic and Asian children under 12 were more likely to eat dinner with a parent every day in a typical week than children who were non-Hispanic white or black (Table D7), according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

     This package of 30 tables makes up A Child’s Day (Selected Indicators of Child Well-Being): 2006, which examines the welfare of children and their daily activities. The data were collected between June and September 2006 as part of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), and include information about living arrangements, family characteristics, early child care experiences, daily interaction with parents, extracurricular activities, academic experience and parents’ educational expectations.

     Children between 1 and 2 years old were read to more often when their parents had higher levels of educational attainment. Children whose parents had less than a high school diploma were read to an average of 5.9 times per week, compared with 10.3 times per week for children whose parents had an advanced degree (Table D9).

     Children in nonmetropolitan areas were less likely to have three TV-usage rules imposed on them (i.e., which programs, how early or late, how many hours) than children in metropolitan areas (Table D12).

     This survey (SIPP) produces national-level estimates for the U.S. resident population and subgroups and allows for the observation of trends over time, particularly of selected characteristics, such as income, eligibility for and participation in government assistance programs, household and family composition, labor force behavior and other associated events.

     Questions for each child are asked of the designated parent. In households where both parents are present, the mother is the designated parent. If the father is available and the mother is not, he will supply the answers. If neither parent is in the household, the guardian is the designated parent.

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These data were collected from June 2006 through September 2006 in the Survey of Income and Program Participation. As in all surveys, these data are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. For further information on the source of the data and accuracy of the estimates, including standard errors and confidence intervals, go to <http://www.sipp.census.gov/sipp/source.html> [PDF].