Week 6: Family Structures and Bonds

Week 6

After reading one of the Furstenberg et al article on the lengthening path to adulthood, I tried to come up with my own definition of adulthood. Although I am over the age of 21 and live away from home, I do not identify with the word “adult”. Perhaps the main reason is because I am still a student and possibly will be for another 2 to 3 years, especially since I am applying to graduate schools now. Would I be able to categorize myself as an adult after a complete education? Possibly. If I had a stable job and was able to become financially independent? I guess I am one of the 97% of people who answered that complete education and financial independence as being important factors to be considered as an adult. I agree with the claims that Furstenberg et al make in their article that there is a prolonged path to adulthood. As time passed, societies have given individuals even more freedom to do what they want while expecting us to meet all the demands and expectations that they have on the individuals. In order to survive individuals have to adjust and invest in more skills to achieve adulthood. This could and has greatly changed the structures of the family dynamics and the working-age population.

With regards to the Risman article, I agree that single dads are just as capable of taking care of their children as much as the mothers. In the cases of divorce, custody should be given to the parent that are more eligible and better at parenting-it should not be simply based on the society’s perceived notions on gender roles. The environment in which a child is raised up in should be taken into consideration rather than to judge the way one raises their own child(ren).

I also enjoyed reading the Bengston article. Families are not declining in importance in the American society but, rather, they are become even more diversified than it has ever been. If the parents are not able to provide care and support their children, the multigenerational bonds, that Bengston mentions, can take over and provide these types of care and love. This transitional period may bring confusion and anxiety but in the long run, it will be beneficial not just to the family members that are directly involved but the society as a whole.

Q1) With this lengthening path to adulthood, could there be a change, at the societal level, on the view of family and gender roles that are found within the domestic sphere?

Q2) In the modern society, do you think that the meeting of societal demands of investing in oneself plays a larger role in delaying marriage and having a family or is it the uncertainty of family life that one may have?

Q3) What are some policies that could be implemented to ease the way to adulthood for those who are not able to readily invest in themselves? By implementing policies, do you believe it will alleviate the anxieties that some individuals have with their uncertainty of family life and marriage?