The Changing Family Life in America

Running Head: Family Life

“The Changing Family Life In America” Research Paper

31 January 2010

2

Family Life

There are many aspects and variations that constitute a family in many people’s eyes. What one would constitute a family may not be the same in the views of another. The government classifies a family as a relation of two or more people through blood and or marriage (Welch 2007, Pg. 7). With the growing number of families in America one can’t help to think that there are many dynamics that can alter the views and opinions of the traditional family. One of these variables that would counter against the traditional family labeling would be adoption. Adoption is when a child is brought into a family that was not originally conceived by the adopting parent/parents. In the years of 2000 and 2001 there were over one hundred and twenty-seven thousand children that were adopted in the United States (Stolley, 2004). By looking at the traditional definition and labeling of “family” this variable may stray from that definition. I don’t feel that a just because a person is adopted would make then any less of a family member as if they were conceived into that family. Adoption is a growing issue that is only going to continue within the United Stated as well as the rest of the world. The more children that get adopted by loving families/parents the better chances that they have at becoming more productive members of society. A family may undergo a certain obstacle or barrier that could alter their homeostasis such as divorce. Divorce is the unfortunate ending of one’s marriage that is processed through law. There are many reasons that could cause parents to divorce ranging from adultery, irreconcilable differences and just simply being unhappy. According to divorce.org the current divorce rate in the United States is at forty percent. When parents divorce they risk losing...