Week 8 Post 2

A part of Chapter 13 discussed the different types of family structures.  Family structure refers to the connections between related people living in the same household.  Two-thirds of children live in two parent homes.  Examples of two parent homes are nuclear families, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents without parents, same-sex couples and biological parent with stepparent.  Less than one-third of children live in a single parent household.  Five percent of children live in a household with more than two adults, which is called an extended family.  Extended families include other relatives and are common among low income-households.  Family structure and function affect each other in how children grow up.  The text discusses the advantages and disadvantages to the different types of family structures.  Nuclear families function the best.  Children are able to look up to their parents and learn from them.  Having two parents ensures that the child always has at least one parent there to help the child with homework, read to them, etc.  Single parents families don't function as well and two parent families because the single parent has to fulfill multiple roles.  It is harder for a single parent to provide the same emotional and academic support for their children as it is for two parents to provide.  It was interesting to read about the different type of family structures and how these different structures have an effect on children.