The Changing Family

FAMILY:

A group of 2 or more people who live together and/or are related by blood or marriage

Function of a family Emotional support Financial support A place for love and belonging Socialization Learning

AMERICAN FAMILIES *LIVING ALONE*

60% are Women 1 out of 24 will remain

single for life

AMERICAN FAMILIES *POSSLQ’S*

Persons of the opposite sex sharing living quarters without marriage

Divorce just as often as those who marry

AMERICAN FAMILIES *Marrying Later in Life*

Men: age 26 Women: age 24

AMERICAN FAMILIES *Couples Having Kids Later in Life*

Cost of rearing a child from birth through college has been estimated at ½ million dollars

AMERICAN FAMILIES*COUPLES WITH FEWER CHILDREN*

Average number of children per family is 2

AMERICAN FAMILIES*COUPLES WITH NO CHILDREN*

“Double Income- No kids”

AMERICAN FAMILIES *Divorced Adults* More we expect from

the marriage the higher our chances of divorce

60% of all divorces involve kids

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Single Parent Family*

1 in 4 children live with only 1 parent

Standard of living for women drops 73%

Ex-husband’s standard jumps 42%

Most have joint custody

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Single Parent Family*

½ of all children have NOT seen father in the last year

1 in 6 see their father once a week

Most do NOT receive child support

Work, childcare, money, and time are a challenge

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Grown Children Moving Back In With Parents*

54% of 18-24 year olds lived with parents

WHY? Divorce,

unemployment, never-married, increasing age of first marriage, high cost of living, low entry salary

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Grown Children Moving Back In With Parents*

Problems? Coming and going(44%) Cleaning and maintenance(49%) Use of household resources

(36%) Mealtime (33%) Money and spending (31%) Friends (23%) Rent (21%)

BOTH PARENTS AND CHILDREN SUFFER

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Grandparents Moving In*

Usually grandma Usually requires care 4 million victims of

Alzeimer’s “Sandwich generation”

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Blended Family*

Fathers are likely to remarry 13% of today’s children are step children ADVANTAGES: New couple has more

time alone, Relationships are precious, negotiation and compromise, learn to let go, more role models, earning potential is doubled

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Blended Family*

CHALLENGES: Emotional difficulties 2 years for couple to adjust, 4-5 years for family oneness, more difficult with older children, identity change, social isolation, difficulty letting child and new step parent develop a relationship

AMERICAN FAMILIES*Blended Family*

MUST deal with emotional pain and scars of 1st marriage before entering into another relationship

New traditions, rules, & extended relationships

PATIENCE is critical to the success of any remarriage

AMERICAN FAMILIES*WORKING MOTHERS*

Day care can cost ¼ of family budge

Usually still does majority of housework and kids

Women have 15 fewer leisure hours a week than men

AMERICAN FAMILIES*WORKING MOTHERS*

SOLUTIONS:Stay at homeWork from homeMr. Mom

The mommy track

AMERICAN FAMILIES

9 of 10 people continue to live in households as family 9 of 10 young adults do marry 3 of 4 of those divorce will remarry Majority of those who marry will have kids