Average Family Size example essay topic

Family Strength It seems today that when we take a brief glance at America's families, it appears that we are losing our values and families are falling apart. But, if one takes a closer look and disregards society's stereotypes and the media's untruths, one will find that families are stronger than ever. There are many reasons that one could argue a family's strength when viewed with the past comparison in mind. For example, the average family size has decreased, allowing for stronger ties among individuals of the family, technology also aids in keeping a family close with easier communication, and children live at home longer than in the past to prepare for their own futures, keeping the household together, longer. These are just a few of the many aspects. Today, families are much smaller than they have been in the past, with the average household consisting of a mother, father, and two or three children, as opposed to when families were self-sustaining and parents had seven or eight children.

Due to factors outside the families' control, it would be quite difficult to raise a self-sustaining family these days, so there is no need for a large number of children. This lesser family size allows for stronger bonds and more intimacy among individuals where it may not have been present in the past. An even greater claim of families's strength today is found in our advancing technology and everyday more and more people have the ability to access it. Through the internet and e-mail families can stay connected and keep up constant communication with each other, where long distances and high expenses may have prevented this in the past.

Not only has technology influenced communications, but also the medical field. The average life span of an American today is about 76 years (Benokraitis, 450). Due to this, families can grow closer and closer while younger individuals can get to know older members of the family. And, with ages in the eighties and nineties, there are even four-generation families today (Benokraitis, 16). Apart from larger, older families, many families today are very child oriented, where most choices and actions are made for the benefit of the children or at least with them in mind.

A greater flexibility among families exists today, correlated with the smaller household size. The same blanketing rules that are needed to control a large number of children may be less strict when applied to individuals. It is easier for a parent to say "no" and not have to worry about changing the rules for eight kids. But an only child, for example, may have more freedom because the parents have only one child to worry about, and still feel the same level of control. It is ironic how in today's faster paced world, children stay in the nuclear family much longer before leaving, than in the self-sustaining days.

But, it is required to protect the children's future, and prepare them for life. The macro-level forces of our society keep children inside the home longer to prepare them for what is to come on the outside. The same forces that push children to stay home where they are protected also pull them away when they must fend for themselves. Even if a family today were not as strong as it should be, then there are many options in terms of counseling and therapy available. Marriage counseling, couples therapy, relationship healing, and family guidance are all different names for essentially the same thing; family strength at a price. But, of course a strong family with good values these days is priceless, which justifies the ridiculously high wages for the sessions.

To conclude, the American family today is much stronger than it was before, due to the decline of family size, the advance of technology, the regard of children increasing, and the availability of family therapy. As time passes, there is no reason to think that the American family should ever deteriorate, and every reason to believe it will continue to strengthen as our culture becomes more diverse.