Do Australian Parents Want both a Son and a Daughter?

This project investigates Australian parents desire for both a son and a daughter. The project will develop an informed theory about whether there is a differential value to parents of sons and daughters and explore how much impact the desire for children of both sexes has on completed family size in Australia. The project will explore the substitutability of children of different sexes as well as the propensity of parents to try again to achieve their desired mix of sexes. The project will combine analyses of census data, panel surveys and in-depth interviews. This rich combination of data will establish Australian research at the forefront of research on fertility behaviour and the value of sons and daughters to parents.