Balancing Parental Priorities: Investment in Entertainment vs. Children’s Education

Abstract

This study explores how parents balance their investment in personal entertainment and their children’s education, using consumer choice theory to develop a theoretical model. The analysis investigates how parents’ valuation of education relative to entertainment affects their utility and investment behavior. Mathematical analysis demonstrates that parents’ prioritization of children’s education over entertainment is positively associated with parents’ demand for their children’s education, and graphical analysis verifies that prioritizing children’s education positively influences parental utility (well-being). This study contributes by framing a theoretical model that lays the groundwork for future empirical research into parental investment decisions and policy implications.