Exercise 1

One hot topic in the study of families is the composition of the family unit. Visit Public Agenda Online (http://www.publicagenda.org). Under the “Issues Guide” tab, click on “Child Care,” then on “Fact File.” Compare the pie charts showing the living arrangements for children in 1960 with the living situations for children in 2000.

1. What category of living situation experienced the greatest rate of growth? [Hint: Look at the proportion of the increase or decrease of each category rather than at the raw percent of total children in each category.]
   
   Next, go “Back” to the “Fact File” page and click on “Child support payments.”



2. What proportion of custodial parents received no child support payments in 1997—either because child support was not awarded or because no payments were received? How might this impact public policy regarding custodial parents and children?

Exercise 2:

Many sociologists believe that myths of the stable, nurturing family complicate our real family lives. Go to http://academic.evergreen.edu/c/coontzs/9.html and read a review of Stephanie Coontz’ book The Way We Never Were; then answer the following questions:

1. Why does Coontz argue that “even if families could choose to return to the shape they held in the 1950s,” business and government would probably not follow?



2. Why do people blame themselves for their families’ failure to measure up to a mythical cultural?