Changing Family In The United States

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

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The Changing Family in the United States

In people the United States like in many developed countries are increasingly turning away from the traditional family patterns. These changes are characterized by adoption of new roles for family members as well as changes in family structures both reflecting on individuals change in attitudes and the effects of scientific, and economic and social developments in the society. Over the last 50 years, US has witnessed increased cases of family divorce, cohabitation instead of the traditional marriage, blended gay and heterosexual families as well as the increase in children born out of wedlock. This is a shift from the popular 1920s ideal companion marriage to free egalitarian relationships which are marked with enhanced freedom and individual aspirations.

With the society becoming more inclusive, many women have increasingly become financially independent thus increasing tension and conflicts regarding duties and children in the family. The proliferation of available contraceptive methods has enabled young women and couples to limit family size and postpone the time for having children which result in late marriages. Since 1940, the number of women working outside homes have steadily rose from a lower 15% to 55% in America today thus resulting to numerous changes in how family members play their roles within the unit. For example it has led to equalitarian family where all family members are equally respected and no one is assumed as head of the family. As a result, families are today more susceptible to conflicts on family size, duties of both couples in raising children and family finances. Although divorce remains high, divorcees usually remarry with hopes that they can still find partners and form new families.

Family Structures and How they Have Changed

Many variations of the traditional family structures have emerged over the last 50 years with new structures seeming to be derived from the traditionally existing ones. The traditional nuclear family consisting mother, father and children which was long held in esteem by the society as the most ideal for raising children has greatly changed. The rise of gay couples in the US and its legalization in some states like the Massachusetts who can adopt children and form perfect families has been the greatest dynamic in the nuclear family structure. Although it was traditionally defined as a family consisting of two heterosexual parents and their children obtained either biologically or through an adoption, this has long changed as gay couples can now have families. In addition increased divorce cases has forced parents to pass child care responsibilities to their relatives. As a result many children are today raised outside nuclear cycles by their grandparents and aunties.

Similarly, single parenting has steadily grown over the years partly due to early pregnancies and the rampant divorce. Early pregnancy is due to media and peer influence among the young people. The current advance technology and easily accessible internet services have influenced youth behaviors resulting in early sexual contact and pregnancy. Moreover, it is estimated that majority of young people who are raised by working single parents are more likely to become single parents when they grow up since they miss parental upbringing especially the guidance on reproductive heath. Lack of adequate parental guidance also cause wrong decision making by young people who may prematurely involve in drugs which is closely tied to single parenthood among teenagers.

On the other hand extended families have seen tremendous growth as single parents tend to live with friends and relatives to help in raising the children. The recent economic turmoil which led to loss of jobs and homes has also contributed to the growth of extended families as parents live together with other relatives and friends to meet bills and cut expenditures. Grandparent family is derived from extended families, it occurs when children are raised by their grand parents due to death, addiction, life imprisonment or abandonment of the children by their parents. The government estimates that one out of twelve children in the US today is raised by their grandparents. Despite its challenges, stepfamily continues to grow in the US from single parents who decides to remarry to form one unit from two different families. This family structure tends to have discipline issues as children from both sides disagree frequently with their new parents and siblings. The exponential growth in stepfamilies is a function of both divorce, death of a parent and single parenthood since it is estimated that close to half marriages in the country result into divorce. In contrast childless families which was in the rise in the 1960s to late 1980s has witnessed a decline due to scientific breakthroughs in medicine like artificial insemination which has renewed hopes to couples who could not have children through natural means. The adoption laws by the government and other state laws which encourage adoption of children have also reduced cases of childless families.

Many factors but most important socio-cultural and financial reasons have been cited as the major cause of family dynamics currently seen across the country. With the increase in families where both parents work outside of home, various parenting roles like caring for children have been delegated to other people while other parents take their children to boarding schools and colleges while they concentrate on their careers and ways of making the family financially stable. Financial factors also affect family lifestyle; how and where they live, the schools the children attend and the type of home they live in. Every activity by family members is influenced to a greater extent by their employment and financial status. Many family conflicts are mainly caused by the couple’s financial instability. Therefore economic hardship may create pressure and stress on couples thus diminishing relationship quality and intimacy. Through its influence on marital interactions, financial strain significantly lowers marital quality. On the other hand financially empowered women tend to postpone marriage to a later time in life when they feel ready to take up parental responsibilities. Due to change in attitude, young people generally delay the decision of getting married because of the perceived challenges, financial capacities, and professional issues. Unlike in the past where only men worked in the family, today both men and women want to firmly establish in the labor market before they form families.

Socio-cultural factors like changes in both children and parental responsibilities have also contributed to changes in family. Health issues increases family spending on how to care for the incapacitated member. Sometimes serious disagreements may arise which may cause separation. With employment playing a key role in family unity, cases of family separation due to different working locations has also affected how families operate. The roles of children in the family have also witnessed great changes. Unlike in the early 1900s where compulsory education never existed and with priority given to male children, children today must undergo basic education training which parents sponsor. The introduction of boarding schools and colleges has reduced parent-children interaction which translates to their characters and behavior. In addition, many efforts have been put towards making both male and female children equal in the family. Due to increased travels in families, cross-cultural interactions cause change in beliefs which are not widely accepted in the society, this may affect the entire family. For example, change in religious beliefs while other families may have to deal with cases of some members being gay.