modern family values
Family dynamics have rapidly been changing and evolving over the last two hundred years,
with far-reaching consequences on individuals and societies as a whole. Whereas before the industrial
revolution, children used to live and work with their parents within the home to learn the family trade
that would support them and future offspring, now parents spend a good majority of their days at work
and children at school. Additionally, there is no longer a “normal” family model of two heterosexual
spouses and their children to comprise the average home. As noted by economist Nancy Barret in
Decline of the Family: Conservative, Liberal and Feminist Views, there is no longer one family model
that is more dominant than another. (Giezle, Janet D., 88) The opinions regarding the reasons for such
familial shifts are as diverse as the many family models now present. While the opinions of the reasons
for such changes in the family may differ, there is a consensus that such changes correlate with the
general upward trend of violence, anti-social behavior, divorce rates, teen pregnancies and addiction
habits among parents and especially children. Conservatives argue that such negative behavior
represents a moral decline perpetuated by broken homes and poverty caused by young, unwed parents.
They offer a return to traditional family standards and values as a solution to such problems.
Feminists argue that, though these different family shifts may, in fact, be giving rise to such problems, a
reversion to a traditional family model is not a viable solution for every family and, therefore, the
solution lies in building up communal support for all family types by stressing the importance of
families and deemphasizing the individual. Using these two perspectives put forth in Giezle's Decline
of the Family, this paper will analyze a true narrative of my younger sister who, after a failed marriage, attempted to raise a
with far-reaching consequences on individuals and societies as a whole. Whereas before the industrial
revolution, children used to live and work with their parents within the home to learn the family trade
that would support them and future offspring, now parents spend a good majority of their days at work
and children at school. Additionally, there is no longer a “normal” family model of two heterosexual
spouses and their children to comprise the average home. As noted by economist Nancy Barret in
Decline of the Family: Conservative, Liberal and Feminist Views, there is no longer one family model
that is more dominant than another. (Giezle, Janet D., 88) The opinions regarding the reasons for such
familial shifts are as diverse as the many family models now present. While the opinions of the reasons
for such changes in the family may differ, there is a consensus that such changes correlate with the
general upward trend of violence, anti-social behavior, divorce rates, teen pregnancies and addiction
habits among parents and especially children. Conservatives argue that such negative behavior
represents a moral decline perpetuated by broken homes and poverty caused by young, unwed parents.
They offer a return to traditional family standards and values as a solution to such problems.
Feminists argue that, though these different family shifts may, in fact, be giving rise to such problems, a
reversion to a traditional family model is not a viable solution for every family and, therefore, the
solution lies in building up communal support for all family types by stressing the importance of
families and deemphasizing the individual. Using these two perspectives put forth in Giezle's Decline
of the Family, this paper will analyze a true narrative of my younger sister who, after a failed marriage, attempted to raise a