Geographical distances between adult children and their parents in the Netherlands

We investigate the determinants of geographical distances to parents. We focus on the role of family members who live outside the household (the parents themselves, and siblings), and on the distinction between the effects of life events and effects related to the timing with which these events have been experienced in the life course. We use data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study and linear regression models on the logarithm of distance. We find that life-course characteristics are much more important to the distance to parents than parental characteristics. Sibling characteristics, most notably the presence of a sister, also have an impact on this distance. 1 University of Amsterdam Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130, NL-1018 VZ Amsterdam. E-mail: [email protected] 2 University of Amsterdam Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130, NL-1018 VZ Amsterdam. E-mail: C.H.Mulder @uva.nl Michielin & Mulder: Geographical distances between adult children and their parents in the Netherlands 656 http://www.demographic-research.org