The Family Of The American Family

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Parenting in America Today There has been quite a bit of research done on what a family in America today looks like. In fact, the American family is changing and the family unit is undergoing challenging fluctuations. There really isn’t one typical American family unit any long and families are more diverse now than in times past. Parents in America today are less likely to be married when they decide to have children and are more likely to be older and more educated. Families can consist of two parent households, single family households, blended households, same sex households and households wherein unrelated people live together due to economic circumstances. In fact, two parent households in America is on the decline and is no longer the definition of a family. How you define your family is up to you. American families today are smaller than in years past. Most parents or families consist only of one or two children and it rare to see larger families unless the family is blended or there are religious beliefs about raising a large family. There are a few factors influencing this and neither a small or large family is the wrong thing, it is a personal choice. However, one factor that can influence family size is economics. It is very expensive to raise a large family while ensuring they will be provided with the necessary provisions to thrive. The invention of birth control plays a part in smaller families as parents can now choose to not become pregnant until they want children. In years past this was not an option. Another reason for smaller families is people are waiting until they feel personal aspirations are met. Waiting until after higher education or good employment often delays child rearing and in turn for the femal... ... middle of paper ... ...ied about the amount of screen time as opposed to those with less education, the same goes for those with a higher income than those with less. It is important to understand, those with a lower income may not have access to devices with screens such as a computer or video games and therefore screen time is limited by economics not choice. Overall, income, education level, race, and gender all have a role in how American society views parenting in today’s world. Parents are as diverse as children are individual and there is no right or wrong in how a parent deals with the circumstances they are faced with when raising children. It is important to have a strong belief system and understanding of available resources within and outside of the family, school and community in order to raise a child to be an individual with values and principles you as a parent believe in.

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