Is Family in Decline in America - Essay Example

?Family Decline Module Module ID: Is Family in Decline in America? David Popenoe, in his article under the title Can the Nuclear Family Be Revived, appears to be lamenting over the decline of nuclear family in the USA in the wake of high divorce rate on the one hand and inhibition of men and women under one roof without marriage. As a result, a significant proportion of the US children have to undergo financial embarrassments, emotional collapses and insecurity in their childhood and youth. Similarly, the author cites that the researches indicate that the children brought up by both of the two real parents turn out to be more cultured, mannered, educated and successful citizens in their grown years in comparison to the children nurtured and socialized by stepparents, orphan houses, care-giving centers and the state-administered institutions. Consequently, the children deprived of the love of their parents experience several sentimental problems, the affects of which do not abate throughout their life. Hence, restoration of nuclear family set-up in the USA is extremely necessary for the peace, prosperity and moral uplift of the individuals; Lamb et al. (2003) have also elucidated almost the same in their study Union Formation and Depression: Selection and Relationship Effects, that existence, growth and survival of nuclear family system is essential for the mental and physical well-being of the people in general. The studies reveal, according to Lamb et al. (2003, p.953), that the married couples lead a more tranquil life than the individuals who never married or are living together without entering into marital-knot. It is partially due to the very reality that the persons, under marital relationship, develop the feelings of intimacy and mutual love, and take care of each other by taking it to be their moral obligation. The authors have cited both longitudinal and short term studies, both of which endorse their hypothesis that never-married individuals suffer from psychological and emotional stress far more than the married persons observe (2003, p.954). Marriages have, Popenoe argues, considerable decline in contemporary era. Somehow, one of the most exasperating reasons behind the failure of marriages, and subsequent decline in family life includes the imperative alterations in the nature of marriages during the last quarter of twentieth century onward. Before that, marriages were conducted under the supervision of the elders, and husbands used to be responsible for the fulfillment of all financial needs and requirements of the entire family (1999, pp.28-29). Since a large proportion of females in the USA have started working shoulder to shoulder with men in all fields of life, they are adding their share in the fulfillment of domestic need by providing financial assistance to the male members of family in one way or the other. It not only has changed the entire scenario of conventional domestic life, but has also weakened the foundations of family in its wake (p.30). Popenoe regards married life as the source of comfort, success, joy and prosperity; nevertheless, Hirschl et al. do not view married life as the source of affluence and opulence. On the contrary, they submit to state that there is not scale to measure the affluence the married, divorced and never-married people have obtained during the course of time. Similarly, since the white population appears to be less traditional in comparison with the black people, it is evident that the whites have always been more stable and sound in both social and financial perspectives (2003, p. 928). In the light of several studies conducted to measure the rate, reasons and situations bringing affluence, Hirschl et al. conclude that no single factor looks domineering in respect of turning the people rich or poor. Hence, different factors pave the way towards man’s success and failure in life actually (p.936-37). Waite has elucidated the new trends in marriage that got popularity during the second half of last century. Although the people had already got introduced with the concept of cohabitation without entering into any type of marital status, the fashion was confined to very limited proportion of the US society (1995, p.485). However, the trend of living of the couples together without marriage and reproducing the young ones under the same relationships has captured the attention of the masses now, which has challenged the foundations of conventional family life. Despite the bitter fact that cohabitation has been in constant increase, married life offers several blessings to the individuals. It is therefore, frequency of use of alcohol and chemical dependency is far higher among the never-married and divorced individuals in comparison with their married counterparts (p.487). In addition, the married people have higher probabilities of living longer than the divorced, widowed and never-married (p.489). Thus, her study endorses Popenoe’s argument that married life brings happiness and emotional comforts to the individuals. Nomaguchi & Milkie (2003, pp.492-93) look for discovering the prospects and problems experienced by the parents and childless individuals. They are of the view that having and not-having children demonstrate mixed trends. Although children are source of joy and mental relief for the parents, the expenditures being spent on them invite many challenges for the people. Even then, the innocent acts and simple pieces of mischief made by the children keep the people happy, and bring giggling and smiles on their faces, which the childless people are quite deprived of. It is a fact beyond suspicion that they have to pay high cost for the upbringing to the children, yet the mental peace the presence of children brings to the parents is priceless indeed. Amato & Cheadle (2005) estimate that the proportion of drop-out of the children being brought up by single-parent or step-parent is far higher than their counterparts being nurtured and supervised by the real biological parents (p.192). Since the biological parents generally provide unabated affectionate environment, complete social security and financial support, according to their wealth and resources, their children are in a better position of achieving destinations and goals for the future years to come. It is therefore, the children belonging to the peaceful family life prove themselves as more successful and responsible citizens in education as well as in professional life (Popenoe, p.30). Consequently, the above debate ratifies the argument made by Popenoe that even containing many drawbacks and problems, married life serves as a source of complete joy, and provides man with comforts, care, sympathetic attitude of spouse and children and peace of mind at large. References Amato, Paul R. & Cheadle Jacob The Long Reach of Divorce: Divorce and Child Well-Being across Three Generations the Pennsylvania State University Journal of Marriage and Family 67 (February 2005): 191–206 Hirschl, Thomas A., Altobelli, Joyce & Rank, Mark R. Does Marriage Increase the Odds of Affluence? Exploring the Life Course Probabilities Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 65, No. 4 (Nov., 2003), pp. 927-938 Lamb, Kathleen A., Lee Gary R., & DeMaris, Alfred Union Formation and Depression: Selection and Relationship Effects Journal of Marriage and Family 65 (November 2003): pp. 953-962 Nomaguchi , Kei M. & Milkie, Melissa A. Costs and Rewards of Children: The Effects of Becoming a Parent on Adults' Lives Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 65, No. 2 (May, 2003), pp. 356-374 Popenoe, David. 1999. Can the Nuclear Family be revived? Society 36: pp. 28-30. Waite, Linda J. Does Marriage Matter? Demography, Vol. 32, No. 4 (Nov., 1995), pp. 483-507 Read More