Blended Families Vs Non Traditional Families Essay

957 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The shape of the American family has undergone a dramatic change over the last several decades

The definition of family and the composition of it have changed over the last century and both continue to evolve. The size and structure of a family impacted by two-income earners, same sex couples, and the acceptance of non-traditional households have all changed the family structure in our country. This influence also creates a cause and effect on our communities. The form of the typical family is much different today than it has been in the past. Many families are now blended families, a combination of a man and woman with children formed together or from previous relationships and marriages. Or they may even be composed of a same sex couple and adopted or surrogate children. Couples may or may not be married, but are living under the same roof and under the same condition of marriage, without the formality of a legal marriage. In the future, the number of these blended family households is likely to increase as more people view marriage as an added complication or their already busy lives. …show more content…

Many couples, married or not, require both partners to earn income in order to support themselves, their children, and their lifestyle. The days of the breadwinning father and the stay at home mother are nearly gone and will continue to fade away over the coming years. With two working parents, the community will need to change to offer additional after school programs and care for children until the parents return from work. In addition, as parents continually try to construct their children’s lives with college in mind, parents will want their children involved in structured after school activities, geared towards reinforcing and furthering skills as opposed to unstructured play time. Community centers and schools will need to change to meet this demand from

Show More
Related

  • Family Structure In Post-War Britian

    1218 Words  | 3 Pages

    There appears to be widespread agreement that family and home life have been changing dramatically over the last 40 years or so. According to Talcott Parsons, the change in family structure is due to industrialization. The concept that had emerged is a new version of the domestic ideal that encapsulates changed expectations of family relations and housing conditions. The family life in the postwar period was highly affected. The concept of companionate marriage emerged in the post war era just to build a better life and build a future in which marriage would be the foundation of better life. Equality of sexes came into being after...

    Read More

  • PLEASE PLEASE LET THIS WORK!!

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    As a societal unit, the family institution has become more individualized and is negatively impacting societies future. From the 1930’s to now the family has disintegrated into more and more of a single person unit. A family in the 1930’s was envisioned to be a male-breadwinning father, a doting-homemaker wife, and several children. Yet understand while the Great Depression was rolling the family structure did not change. The husband went out and looked for work, while the wife stayed home and kept the children out of trouble.

    Read More

  • Blended Family Essay

    1146 Words  | 3 Pages

    In attempting to understand the blended family system, one would be remised if we did not first look at, and understand primarily what a family system dynamic is. Unfortunately, this is a theory that once had very clear cut lines; today those lines are a little burred and more subjective than ever before. Given that the family is an ever changing system with fluid boarders, this author will illustrate some finite distinctions that may separate the typical family system from a blended family system. Family systems have been studied since psychologists began studying people and their behaviors.

    Read More

  • How Divorce is Affecting the American Culture

    1994 Words  | 4 Pages

    The present structure of the average family in America is changing, mainly due to the growing number of mothers who now work outside the home. The current mark of dual-earner families stands at 64 percent, making it a solid majority today. This alteration of the "traditional" structure of the family is a channel for other changes that may soon occur.

    Read More

  • The Working, Single Mother Primary Care Vs. Secondary Care

    1626 Words  | 4 Pages

    Comparing its structure and function as it was in 1960 with what it had become in 1990 can highlight the dramatic changes in the American family. Until 1960 most Americans shared a common set of beliefs about family life; family should consist of a husband and wife living together with their children. The father should be the head of the family, earn the family's income, and give his name to his wife and children. The mother's main tasks were to support and enable her husband's goals, guide her children's development, look after the home, and set a moral tone for the family. Marriage was an enduring obligation for better or worse and this was due much to a conscious effort to maintain strong ties with children. The husband and wife jointly coped with stresses. As parents, they had an overriding responsibility for the well being of their children during the early years-until their children entered school, they were almost solely responsible. Even later, it was the parents who had the primary duty of guiding their children's education and discipline. Of course, even in 1960, families recognized the difficulty of converting these ideals into reality. Still, they devoted immense effort to approximating them in practice. As it turned out, the mother, who worked only minimally--was the parent most frequently successful in spending the most time with her children. Consequently, youngsters were almost always around a parental figure -- they were well-disciplined and often very close with the maternal parent who cooked for them, played with them, and saw them off to and home from school each day.

    Read More

  • The Struggle in Bread Givers

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    Several changes have occurred since the 1920s in traditional family values and the family life. Research revealed several different findings among family values, the way things were done and are now done, and the different kinds of old and new world struggles.

    Read More

  • Changes in the American Family

    3385 Words  | 7 Pages

    As we have learned through Skolnick’s book, as well as Rubin’s research, the make up of the family is influenced by many factors. The economy, culture, education, ethnicity/race, and tradition all help to create the modern family. The last few decades have heavily influenced the family structure, and while some try to preserve the past, others embrace the future. Through it all, we find you can have both.

    Read More

  • The Trials and Effects of Blended Families

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    A blended family is typically seen as one of divorce, or widow, and remarriage with or without kids. These types of family systems tend to face more unique challenges than most. They face struggles such as the trauma of divorce, children getting used to a new parent that has not always been around, and new siblings that have not always been around. This can cause added stress to an already stressed family system. Socioeconomic status plays a role in every family. However, in blended families is can play a more prominent role. Marrying up or down in socioeconomic status, losing an income, adding an income, and marrying out of financial necessity can all have a profound impact on the development of not only the children involved but the family as a whole.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Word Family

    1439 Words  | 3 Pages

    A stepfamily occurs when parent’s divorce and later remarry bringing children from the previous marriage together to form a new family. In the twenty-first century, a stepchild is considered part of the immediate familial household when the biological parent is detached from the child but the stepparent is available. This is one type of non-traditional family. While they may not be traditional they can be equally supportive and caring. Multigenerational families are a group of relatives that live together and share in the household chores. Many families are now opting to move senior parents into their own homes instead of a retirement community because the bonds that have been generated throughout life help the seniors state of mind. A complex family has three or more adults living in the same household plus their children. This can happen through divorce and remarriage and through polygamy in countries where polygamy is legal. Adults that for various reasons cannot have children bring a child into their home to love and care for or one parent can legally adopt the biological child of the other parent. This is considered an adopted family and while there may be no blood relation it still has legal viability. Fosterage is also a branch of adoption where a family will temporarily bring another child into their home until more permanent

    Read More

  • Blended Families

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    The concept of family had undergone a number of changes over the past few years. In our current society of 2018 it is common for blended families to be the “normal” vs natural birth parents being a norm. Families are more ethnically, racially, religiously, and stylistically diverse than we have even this past generation ago. For example, even just back to when my mom was a child you didn’t get a divorce to commonly like we have them today. Family nowadays can be defined as many things.

    Read More

  • Traditional Family Essay

    1075 Words  | 3 Pages

    The unit of a family is the most prominent essential for all of us. As social human beings, we seek social support in order to thrive, and that is where family comes into play. A family is where you receive love, support, encouragement, and many other social benefits. The total number of households in the United States increased from 63 million in 1970 to 113 million in 2008 (Weeks, 2012). The family has influenced multitudes of people in many ways. The traditional family in the United States consists two-married individuals providing care and stability for their biological offspring also know as the nuclear family. However, the term of a true family has ultimately changed over the last 50 years especially for African Americans.

    Read More

  • Changing Families

    1780 Words  | 4 Pages

    The family has been referred to as the most vital of the social institutions (Alexander, 2010). The definition of what it means to be a family has evolved over the past several generations. In technical terms, the U.S. Census Bureau defines a family as a group of two or more people residing together related by birth, marriage, or adoption. (U.S. Census, 2010). Categories of families that fit this definition include married couples with and without children, blended families, single parent, and extended family households. Same-sex and unmarried couples with and without children and individuals living alone are not included in this group, though they are a rising segment of the population. The make-up of family and household types at any given time has major consequences for society (Katz & Stern, 2007). Major systems such as economic political, legal, and other social institutions are all impacted by changes in family dynamics. This paper will explore the evolution of the family unit and examine the reciprocal link between this shift and surrounding systems. The relationship between these changes and contemporary systems theory will also be discussed.

    Read More

  • Family Today

    896 Words  | 2 Pages

    Family Today What is a family today? What challenges does being a member of a family present while traditional family structures change? Every family has to struggle to balance the demands of work and children. Also the relationship between each spouse can become more delicate and complicated. Besides, the single parent has to face even more challenges than any other.

    Read More

  • Reflection Of Family Dynamics

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    Family dynamics and their structure have gone through many changes in the last 100 years. The development of diverse and unique family styles was very interesting and I was surprised by the many changes over the spectrum of time. In addition, I discovered that I have been a little sheltered by my own environment. I had failed to learn about other cultures, but what I learned from this course and the way we define family was eye opening. Considering the definition of a family unit, it is easy to see how much that definition has changed. People living in the same home and celebrating the same belief system, although not related by blood, are still considered family. From single parents, to grandparents raising the grandchildren, and homosexual

    Read More

  • The Family as an Agent of Socialization

    1399 Words  | 3 Pages

    To thoroughly elaborate on the institution of family we most look at the family as it was before and how much it has changed over time. Throughout the years we are recognizing that the family is slowly being replaced by other agents of socialization. Families in the past consisted of a mother and a father and most times children. We are, as many societies a patriarchal society; men are usually the head of the households. This has always been considered the norm.

    Read More

More about Blended Families Vs Non Traditional Families Essay

Open Document