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For a society to survive, its population must reproduce (or take in many immigrants), and its young must be socialized to perform adult roles and have the values and attitudes that will motivate them to contribute to society. Procreation and socialization are two vital roles families traditionally have performed. In addition, the family provides economic and emotional support for its members, which are vital to their effective functioning. The performance of many contemporary families in contemporary society is often defined as "disappointing" in all these areas. Procreation outside of marriage has become quite common; complaints are common about parents' declining time with and influence on their children; and, the modern family is accused of emotionally neglecting, at times abusing, its members. FACT: If you believe what Americans say about their values, then families are doing fine. In survey after survey, relationships among parents, children, and siblings are identified as the most important aspect of life. Families are seen as more important than work, recreation, friendships, or status by both men and women. FACT: There is a big gap between what Americans say about their families and what they actually do to support them. A large majority of Americans claim that family is the most important thing in life, but surveys also show that most people will put their jobs, possessions, and personal freedom before family responsibilities. IS IT: A woman without
a man is like a fish out of water, or a woman without a man is like a fish
without a bicycle?
FACT: Studies that interview the same people every few years show that satisfaction with family life is highly correlated with overall life satisfaction. The link between strong families and overall happiness indicates that family life is important to individuals. But so is personal happiness. Studies reveal a sharp increase in the percentage of women who say parents who do not get along should split up rather than stay together for the sake of the children--up from 51 percent in 1962 to 82 in 1998. FACT: Directly or indirectly, numerous government policies affect the integrity, psychological well-being and economic viability of single- and two-parent families, with and without children. Issues of family policy include (but are not limited to) welfare reform, child poverty, parental leave, daycare, family planning, pension programs, access to health care, maternal-child health, domestic violence, maltreatment, foster care and adoption, and long-term care. FACT: Americans have been postponing marriage. The median age at first marriage, after a half century of decline, has been rising since the early 1960s. The median age at first marriage for women is the highest since the government started keeping records in 1890, whereas for men it is higher than in any years since 1900. Singlehood (or being single) is accepted, and with our increased longevity, so too is 50 years of marriage. Yet being single longer than ever before has helped to redefine sexuality. FACT: Unmarried couple households tripled between 1970 and 1900 and have continued to increase gradually since then. FACT: One correlation shows us that as the proportion of American adults age 18-65 who are married decreases, the rate of births to unmarried mothers is increasing. By 1999, nearly one of every four births was to an unmarried mother. As we embark on the 21st century, childbearing outside marriage is more normative in some social groups. It is also more concentrated among women in their 20s than among teens. FACT: Almost two-thirds
of the married respondents to a recent General Social Survey rate their
own marriages as "very happy." By comparison, most of the respondents
to each of the Virginia Slims Women's Opinion Polls say they think the
institution of marriage is weaker than it was earlier.
FACT: Estimates for 2000 inform us that families with children under age 18 represent 46.2% of all family households. Restating this, half of America's family households do not have children present. FACT: Children living at home with both parents grow up with more financial and educational advantages than children raised by one parent. As a consequence of both divorce and unmarried parenthood, more than one-quarter of all U.S. children lived with just one parent. Compare this with 1960, when the overall proportion of single parent families was 9 percent. FACT: Almost daily,
news headlines scream out yet another message that seems to indicate the
family is on its deathbed in modern America.
THE DEBATE QUESTION:
Has the family fallen apart? Should traditional families be preserved?
Should the federal government develop an explicit public policy for families
which supports marriage before parenthood, motherhood, two-parents, and
family values?
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