Families in the 1960's and Today

Families in the 1960's and Today

Kiana Joyner

American Intercontinental University

Abstract

This paper will discuss the differences between families from the 1960's and the families of today. There are many differences between the different times. I have focused on the parentage portion of the families. I explained what the ideal family is and how it is different today. I've also included ways that will help these families of today become stronger as a family.

Families in the 1960's and Today

There is quite a big difference in families from the 1960's, and the families of today. Many of the changes from back in 1960 have to do with the parents and keeping family together. These differences have changed since then and will continue to change as time changes. The families today are mostly single parent homes with just the mother's and the children. On the other hand when the families do consist of married parents, during the early years of the children's lives, the parents end up divorcing. The difference between the families today and in the 1960's is that families consisted of having a working husband, the homemaker wife, and the child, or children. This was known as the ideal family. Today you will see more step parent's then biological parents raising the children (Mercadante, 2009).

In my personal experience I grew up with both biological parents together until they divorced when I was ten years old. After a while with it just being my mother, and four children, both parent's ended up remarried and I live with my mother and step father. As I grew up I always held onto the memories of my biological parents being together. To this day that is how I live with my husband and children. I mock what I seen with my parents before the divorce, keeping the value of family strong.

I believe families are becoming weaker because now the children spend most of their days in day care centers. While the parents are out working, even when the parent is not working they send the children to day care. With the divorces being so high, the children are usually left in the custody of the mothers. The mother would then have to work full time in the work force, and as a parent. A lot of couples don't realize how strong the value of family has on the children. The children pay attention to what happens with their parents and that's what some children grow up being like at times. With parents divorcing more these days the family bond continues to decrease. Without family bonds, it leads to a broken family.

Modern families today have parents who are extremely busy. Therefore there is often times where there is no time spent as a