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American Family Decline

What trends does Popenoe highlight to support his claim that the American family

has changed dramatically since the middle of the 20th century? What are the negative

consequences of these trends? What are the demographic, institutional, and cultural

manifestations of family decline? Do you agree with Popenoe's argument that the American

family is in the fall? Why or why not? 

Popenoe argues emphatically that social scientists have misunderstood the American

family's demise due to a simple shift in the family's demographics and role in society. He argues

that the institution of the family consists of two reliable, stable adults, the parents (Popenoe 180).

He highlights several characteristics that he finds problematic and symptomatic of the "family in

decline," focusing on the increasing frequency with which single parents are the sole

breadwinners in their households.

Divorce rates have steadily risen since the turn of the century, and this has been the first

trend to be seen. Fewer and fewer couples are committing to raising their kids in one place for

the long haul. He claims that children are being reared in semi-neglectful environments due to

rising divorce rates. Popenoe warns that an increase in delinquency is likely if the love and care

parent has to work longer hours to provide for their family and the child. Teen involvement in

delinquent behavior makes them more likely to have children outside of marriage or in unstable
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homes as adults. There will be recurring losses in prestige and wealth for the family as long as

divorce is common.

Second, Popenoe highlights how families have fewer children, pointing out that in 1990,

women had an average of 1.9 children, compared to the standard of 2.1 children needed for

population replacement. This drop is due to parents neglecting their children. He also sees more

women working. Third-wave feminism grew when Popenoe wrote her poem, but more women

are now working and raising children. Many saw women as mainly homemakers and child-

rearing. According to Popenoe, the consequences of women's employment on the family make

modern parenting less organized. Women now delay childbirth, pursue higher education, rise in

their careers, and value autonomy more than previous generations. Due to the rising number of

women working, Popenoe says that establishing a family is no longer women's main priority,

which adds to the family's decline.

Finally, Popenoe highlights the "retreat from marriage" as a noteworthy trend. Late

marriage and parenthood are limiting opportunities for expanding families. The median age at

which American women tied the knot for the first time was 20.3 in 1960 and 24.1 in 1991. The

US Census Bureau reports that the median age for a first marriage was 27.9 in 2018. If you wait

until you're older to have a family, you'll have less time to devote to raising children.

Popenoe claims that the breakdown of families has already had consequences that are

detrimental to society. While discussing divorce as a factor of family decline, Popenoe makes the

case that children are more likely to grow up to reproduce outside of matrimony when there are

no families and suitable houses to train children. Having children outside of marriage or without

a permanent residence may not seem like a big deal to some, but it represents a worrying trend

for others. Having kids outside marriage can be considered a path to greater criminal activity.
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Popenoe thinks that these tendencies will result in a lower birth rate than the death rate,

making it impossible for the nation to retain an adequate-sized workforce. This is in addition to

the perceived moral deterioration of previously held norms. More and more of the population

will become medically unable to work as time progresses (Schmidt, 184). Conversely, fewer

people are entering the labor field to take their place. In the world's developed, industrialized

nations, the issue of an older population is frequently highlighted as a major concern. Popenoe

argues that this trend might be attributed to individuals caring more about themselves than the

next generation. We may expect a shift in our country's demography due to this.

Popenoe sees families as social institutions. The group's organizational structure provides

regularity and predictability for its members. When families lose "functionality," "social power,"

and "authority," this institution collapses. Families' global significance decreases. The family is

not the only institution losing value. Women were more independently wealthy than in 1975 but

were still barred from opening bank accounts. Therefore, marriage may be less valued. Women's

freedom may be hurting the family. Women marry later. Popenoe claims that society has shifted

from a child-centered to an "adult-only" perspective, limiting school resources and fewer

regulations addressing children's needs.

Popenoe's family's demise shows the cultural change. Our civilization is changing.

Children behave less as they did decades ago, mirroring adults' transition from child-centered to

adult-focused thinking. Adult culture's self-focus makes youth more prone to acquire "mature"

behaviors and mannerisms. Social media demonstrates this (Warren, 46). Teens are now more

inclined to experiment with drugs, wear exposing clothes, and dance sexually. The growth in

juvenile drug use due to vapes, Juuls, Puff Bars, and other similar goods is a cultural marker
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reflecting the move from innocent, whimsical youth associated with the family ideal to the more

parental society of the modern day.

Whereas Popenoe views these events as convincing evidence of the family's collapse, I

see them as indicators that our understanding of the family is shifting. Popenoe's analysis of

family indicates that it lacks a singular definition. Extended family members are a very personal

choice. Popenoe's family definition misinterprets the facts. Like in previous generations, births,

adoptions, and loving upbringings continue. Today's culture no longer considers a married

couple a family. I regard marriage's cultural collapse as a natural transition from the closed,

antiquated system of Christian marriage to a more inclusive, egalitarian form of cohabitation.

Popenoe regrets it. Individuals might not get married so early, if at all, but they develop

permanent bonds that fulfill the same function as Popenoe's nuclear family. Society no longer

needs marriage to commit to a life mate since people may live freely and happily in a domestic

partnership. The family is developing, not disintegrating.

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Work Cited

Popenoe, Rebecca, et al. "A practical guide to data analysis in general literature reviews." Nordic

Journal of Nursing Research 41.4 (2021): 175-186.

Schmidt, Marshall R., And Leslie Riggle Miller. "Nobody F** Ks with The Gallaghers!":

Identity and The New American Family." Shameless Sociology: Critical Perspectives on

a Popular Television Series (2020): 184.

Warren, Susan R., and Bryan D. Bowens. "Changing Trends in American Family Structures."

Building Culturally Responsive Partnerships Among Schools, Families, and

Communities (2022): 46.