LIFESTYLE SHIFTS OVER THE LAST 60 YEARS

THE FALLOUT OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY

According to our text book, Sociology, A Nuclear Family consists of a husband, wife, and

dependent children who live apart from other relatives in their own residence.

WHAT IS A NUCLEAR FAMILY

INDUSTRIALIZATION + URBANIZATION= MODERNIZATION

THE POINT?

The 1950’s Nuclear Family

The 1960’s to the 1980’s Transitional Family

Todays Modern Family

LET’S DISCUSS…

1950’S

Husbands Responsibility: Bring home the bacon

Wife’s Responsibility: Cook the bacon

Children’s Responsibility: Eat the bacon, quietly

NUCLEAR FAMILY

Leave it to Beaver

TV SETS …THE STANDARD FAMILY

Father Knows Best

1960-1980 The Transitional FamilyBARBI

E GETS A JOB

Husband’s Responsibilities: Still in charge of bringing home the bacon and still wants a martini and slippers when he walks in the door

Wife’s Responsibilities: Uses the microwave to cook the bacon because she has a part time job now

Children’s Responsibilities: Would rather listen to 8-tracks than come home to eat the bacon.

1960-1980

1960: FDA approved an oral contraceptive called The Pill

WHAT CHANGED?

DIVORCE STATISTICS THROUGH THE YEARS

1970: No Default Divorce became a nationwide reality

1980: Continued the trends from the 60’s and 70’smore divorces, more unmarrieds living together, more single parent families. The two-earner family was even more common than

in previous decades, more women earned college and advanced degrees,

married, and had fewer children.

WHAT CHANGED? … A LOT!

TV SETS…STAY TUNED UNTIL WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT

The Brady Bunch

The Cosby Show

Murphy Brown

TODAY

Husband’s Responsibilities: Still brings home the bacon, but maybe to an empty house or to his husband

Wife’s Responsibilities: May be too busy to cook bacon and orders Chinese take-out instead

Children’s Responsibilities: Only eats bacon on burgers bought at fast food restaurants and can be found playing video games on the sofa.

TODAY’S FAMILIES

TV, ALL DAY EVERY DAY

Modern Family

The 1950’s Family was Black and White

The Transitional Family of the 1960-1980’s was brought to you in Technicolor

Today’s Family is seen in 3-D

THAT’S A WRAP