The Decline in Nuclear Families

When people think of families they usually, or used to, think of nuclear families. A nuclear family is a married couple with their children. Today, nuclear families have become a lot less common. One of the most common family type in the United States today is a blended family. A blended family consists of a married couple and their kids from their current and past relationships, creating step relationships (step siblings and step parents). Today, 40 % of married couples are blended families. Needless to say, nuclear families in the United States are decreasing which is causing the rise in blended families.

The divorce rate is increasing and it is becoming common and because of that people are looking at divorces as normal and okay. Today, the divorce rate for the 1st marriage is 41 %, the 2nd marriage is 60 %, and a 3rd marriage is 73 %. Because of divorces being more common, it is decreasing the amount of nuclear families. Most couples that get divorced find a new partner and remarry, creating those step families (blended families).

My family is not a blended family, it is more of an extended family because my grandpa lives at my home. Throughout high school and into college, I have met a lot of people with blended families or divorced parents that haven't gotten remarried, which still is causing a decrease in nuclear families. I can say ever since I understood what a divorce was, I see more people I know with divorced and blended families.

 

 

An example of blended family, the well known Brady Bunch.

whatculture.com

http://www.smartstepfamilies.com/view/statistics
http://dailyinfographic.com/divorce-in-america-infographic