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What's Happening to the American Family : Interview with Dr. Margaret Mead, Noted Anthropologist

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There is a standard that many live by in which they MUST have a double income to keep up, but if they get a cheaper car, get their shop on less often, get out of the bar or at someone's soiree every weekend, and get rid of other nonessential WANTS then they would realize that a family can be very healthy and happy on one income; and it doesn't have to be that large of an income and they don't have to get rid of everything. This article was from 1963, but if this woman knew where the American Family was headed she may have put more stress on strengthening the nuclear family. It is my experience that the nuclear family looks strong on the outside, but is not very stable behind the closed doors.

Tina of MS 9:51PM May 27, 2011

It seems to me that the female "to do list" has just gotten longer. We are expected to be everything we were before: center of the family unit, manager of the daily home life,wife and lover to a husband, and primary loving caretaker of the children...PLUS we now should hold down a meaningful job that contributes to the economic well-being of the family. Is this progress?
Family units crumble because there is a distinct lack of commitment and shared responsibility for success. Parents are quick to blame outside influences for negative aspects in their children's character, yet fail to provide effective role models through their own behavior. The importance of a solid family unit grounded by unconditional love and genuine involvement cannot be underestimated when viewing the success or failure (trends) of future generations

Life Traveler of FL 4:19PM January 19, 2011

I understand that Dr. Mead's ideas don't work well in our society at the present time but she was writing in 1963. Now that women are dominating universities and the professional arena, can anyone see how this idea of women's liberation has negatively affected men's lives? Maybe I just know a lot of lazy guys but it seems like a trend now that men have given up all their responsibilities and are leaving it up to the women (their girlfriends and moms) to take care of everything. It just seems that the more women progress, the more men regress.
Not wanting to blame it all on the guys, today's society is far too demanding. It's ridiculous that people have to hold 2 jobs to support a family. Those that are actually in need of assistance are too proud to ask for it and the other people are getting handouts like crazy (I'm sorry, I know this is a completely different topic).
Moving on, the main thing is looking in our history and recognizing the trend. As our society becomes more and more individualistic the families become more isolated which lands the responsibility on fewer people. How realistic is it for a single mother to raise a family successfully while working to put food on the table? All I can hope is that I learned from my parents' mistakes to not repeat them for the next generation.

Overachieving young adult female. of GA 11:01AM August 31, 2009

That may be true in 1963. I got marred at 23 (I am 29 now), my wife was 21 and we were the one of the youngest marrages we knew. We do not have children yet-I see many yonger parents with children, many of them single mothers. On the other hand I see most couples marring in their late twenties to mid-thirtys.

David of KS 7:10PM July 24, 2009

What is wrong with fathers wanting to be home and bonding with their children.I don't mean that they should give up their jobs. I have not taken any parenting classes but I still believe that children need time with their parents. Time with dad and time with mom under the same roof.

Carmen Azanza of CA 6:06PM July 09, 2009

As a teacher in a large public school system, this is not the family unit I am seeing. I see an abundance of single parents raising multiple children, though, granted, they are very young mothers and fathers. Many times these parents live with their own parents. More and more, I see grandparents or other relatives raising the children. For those parents who are married and considered a "nuclear" family, both parents are forced to work due to rising costs of everything! I do agree with the woman on "the T.V. is raising the children" point of view though and that many of these parents seem unable to regulate their own TV viewing. South Park and the 70's show and the Simpsons are NOT appropriate for children...even middle school children! The children of today are not receiving adaquate social examples from their home life/parents.

Teacher of OK 7:02PM March 16, 2009

Wow, I was really upset until I realized that this article was originally published in 1963.
She does have a good point about the isolated nuclear families.

Lindy of FL 8:43PM February 27, 2009

If you look back in history you'll see that people used to get married when they were MUCH younger. Older bodies are less suited for bearing children, and I don't exactly plan on waiting until there's a 10% chance of me having a kid with Down's syndrome, thank you very much.

Irked of FL 8:38PM February 27, 2009

In the America I live in, men are WELCOMED helpers in the home. I like the fact that men are more involved in their families than they used to be. Now, if we could just get parents to remember they have children to raise, rather than letting day cares do it for them. That would be wonderful for the children, I believe.
Grandparents SHOULD be a welcome, contributing member of the family. They have invaluable wisdom to pass on to the younger generation, as well as lots of love to shower on them. Trouble is, our government has set society up to give up their children to the all-knowing-all-seeing government (cough, cough). This,government-run public schools (teaching of institutionalized, prison-type learning), along with Hollywood, is what is ruining today's children. Turn off the TV, spend time reading to your children, teaching them music, telling stories, going for nature walks, whatever. Just get away from the media and spend time with them. That works.

Teresa of MO 4:42PM February 25, 2009

Stuck in traditional gender roles much???
Half the point of the women's liberation movement was not just to give women the option of working outside the home but also to free up some of the burden men had been under as sole providers. And yet all she can talk about is how men aren't as motivated to take 'advancement' opportunities that take them away from family. Maybe those men remember their childhoods and how much they wished their fathers had been around? There are so many holes in this article, things that were not discussed or overlooked... It is pathetic.
I don't know what fantasy land Ms. Mead lives in but it is extremely difficult to even get by on one income, unless the spouse makes a considerable amount. Just basic costs alone (food, HOUSING, utilities) make this an enormous task. Wages have not kept up with inflation.

Just call me an annoyed breadwinner of OR 6:06PM February 17, 2009