Modern Day Families

People today are living much longer than in previous generations. Parents are sometimes living long enough to see their children's children have children. It is more common for grandparents to be alive, well, and considered to be relatively young in the 21st century as people stay healthier well into their older years. In today's world more than half of all midle age couples have one or more parents living. I believe that the presence of multiple generations all living at the same time will have a real and positive influence on families, though it may present challenges as well.

According to Bengston et. al., thre propositions exist that warrant research as families change and family members live longer, healthier lives. The first proposition is families are adapting and expanding support across generations. Grandparents are playing a larger role in their children's lives, as are other family members. With more mothers working outside of teh home and more families being split up by divorce, the added adult support helps kids grow up healthy. "Grandparental involvement in post divorce families is an especially important potential source of social support because - unlike day care centers, after-school programs, babysitters, or nannies - grandparents typically have a high level of concern for the interests of their children and grandchildren" (Skolnick 327).

The second proposition is that "Today's no divorced, two-parent families are more successful than their counterparts a generation ago" (Skolnick 328). Part of this might be because parents divide all duties from chores, work, and childcare more evenly so that the burden of one task does not fall on one person alone. Parents are together because they want to be and not just for the sake of the kids. Relationships like this might be more stable and filled with less conflict.

A third proposition is "Maternal investment has not declined over time" (Skolnick 330). Simply stated this means that in spite of the fact that more mothers now work outside of the home, mothers still spend as much time and energy on their kids as ever.

In twenty-five years I believe that families will be both similar to and different from the ones you see today. I believe you will still have the traditional family consisting of Mom, Dad, and Children, but I believe grandparents and maybe even great-grandparents will play an even larger role than they do today. I believe couples will be equal if they choose to be in what they contribute to the household, relationship, and child rearing. I believe that you will see even more alternative families; gay and lesbian couples and parents, etc... I also believe alternative families will be more widely accepted and embraced than thay are today.