Can the American Family Be Saved? : A Study in the Evolution of Family Life in America
The American family and the way its members interact have evolved throughout the history of this nation. As we examine this evolution it becomes evident that over the past several decades this evolution has accelerated and there has been a dramatic shift in the dynamics of the roles of the members within the American family. Where as the majority of American families still consist of the traditional make up of a father, a mother and children, there are now an increasing amount of variations upon this theme which have become accepted as recognizable family units. Even in traditional families comprised of father, mother, and siblings, the roles of these individuals have changed with the invention of new technologies and economies. With these new roles come different relationships the family unit has between their greater communities and political entities they are interdependent with. All of these changes have been well documented by the media in the form of art as well as acade!mic writings. Television, music, magazines, novels and the Internet all record and promote this acceleration of change.Before the 1950s, families in America consisted of not only the "nuclear family" (father, mother, and children) but also the extended fa
Without these advances, this phenomemom of older parents would be extremely rare. Examples of functional extended families can be portrayed and promoted in the media as opposed to the Jerry Springer families, which are now displayed in their numerous variations. By the time that magic moment occurs between a parent and child the parent is cooling down from a pressure cooking session at work and the child has completely internalized his or her emotions regarding the situation. During this four or five hours of unmonitored down time for the children, there is always access to the great molder of mi!nds, television. mily (grand parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins) living as close units. This could be in the format of anything from stuffing envelopes to public speaking. This is not to say that the behavior of the unwed mothers should be promoted by free funding with additional amounts for each child. Not only is there too little time in a day to raise a child adequately, there is too little time in a life. Is there any hope for the traditional American family? There most certainly is. The father today is hard pressed to keep up with being the sole breadwinner when the costs of living are so high. Most States are actively pursuing child support payments from these "dead beat dads. Families of today are becoming much more isolated because of their busy work schedules. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, there was a gradual shrinking of the family in America from exten!ded to nuclear. As the Americans family evolves so does its relationship with the community in which it finds itself and the politics of that community. With the loosening of America's so called moral standards from the late 1960s to the present, there have also been a greater acceptance of alternative families.
Common topics in this essay:
Patrick Moynihan,
Dependent Children,
,
Coontz Stephanie,
Jerry Springer,
White Underclass,
family unit,
extended family,
father mother,
unwed mothers,
Charles Murray,
family units,
american family,
mother children,
30 percent,
1950s 1960s,
alternative families,
father mother children,
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Acceptance Essays
