Future Families Diverse Forms, Rich Possibilities

Future Families explores the variety of family forms which characterize our contemporary culture, while addressing the implications of these increasingly diverse family units on child development.

• Reveals the diversity of new family forms based on the most current research on fathers, same-gender parents, new reproductive technologies, and immigrant families
• Illustrates that children and adults can thrive in a variety of non-traditional family forms
• Shows the interrelatedness of new trends in family organization through the common themes of embedded families and caregiving in community and cultural contexts
• Features an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from works in areas that include child development, family studies, sociology, cross-cultural scholarship, ethnic studies, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and even architecture
• Sets an agenda for future research in the area of families by identifying important gaps in our knowledge about families and parenting

Preface vi

Acknowledgments ix

About the Author xi

1 Challenges to the Ideal Family Form 1

2 Changing Parental Roles: The Sharing and Redistribution of Family Responsibility in Contemporary Families 25

3 Further Assaults on the “Ideal” Family Form: Divorce, Remarriage, Single Parenthood, and Cohabitation 55

4 Same-Gender Families: Are Two Mothers or Fathers Good Enough? 84

5 How Many “Parents” Are Too Many? Insights from the Assisted Reproductive Technologies Front 111

6 Many Mothers, Many Fathers, Many Others: Insights from Other Cultures 141

7 All about Relatives and Fictive Relatives: Insights from Diverse Ethnic Groups in Our Own Culture (Past and Present) 160

8 Multiple Caregivers: Harmful or Helpful for Caregivers Themselves 191

9 In Support of Alternative Family Forms: Overcoming the Barriers to Change 209

References 243

Index 292

Ross D. Parke is Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, and past Director of the Center for Family Studies at the University of California, Riverside. He has authored or co-authored several books on the field, including Fathers and Fatherhood, Throwaway Dads, Child Psychology: A Contemporary Perspective, and Social Development.