What is an American Family?

Intro Class

What is a family?

Fragile Family Bonds

Child Child

Child Child

Jan

Child Child

Child Child

Child Child

Child Child

daughter daughter

Husband #1

daughter

Wife #1

Ed

Emily

Husband #2

An American Family

ShirleyJosh's mom

daughter son

Valerie

Paul

daughter daughter

Teresa

EarlHusband #1

daughter son

Wife #1

Josh

FredHusband #2

daughter

Wife #1

HowardHusband #3

Recent trends in American family life:• getting married at a later age• having kids at a later age• having fewer kids• high divorce rates

– more single-parent homes

• increase in cohabitation– more out-of-wedlock births

• majority of mothers work outside the home• children at risk through rising rates of:

– teen suicide– teen births– addiction– violence

Why? Why? Why?

Three Views

• Conservative Explanation

• Liberal Explanation

• Feminist Explanation

Conservative Explanation

Cultural and Moral Weakening

Family Breakdown, Divorce, Family Decline

Father Absence, School Failure, Poverty, Crime, Drug Use

Liberal Explanation

Changing Economic Structure

Changing Family and Gender Roles

Diverse Effects:Poor vs. Productive Children

Feminist Explanation

Lack of Cooperation among Community, Family, and Work

Families Where Adults Are Stressed and Overburdened

Children Lack Sufficient Care and Attention from Parents