Childbearing
In the book’s first section, the author states that the U.S. family life organization is undergoing severe changes, and the diversity of family experiences is increasing. Cohen (2018) lists some primary factors affecting the concept of childbearing. Firstly, the number of unmarried parents has increased, with many being divorced and not remarried or choosing to be single due to age. Secondly, there are racial and ethnic differences, with Latina women, on average, having more children. Then, the author indicates that more educated females have fewer kids than those who failed to finish high school, and a large portion of their pregnancies are unintended. Lastly, according to women’s responses to economic trends, young females postpone their childbearing when there are global financial challenges and crises, while older women do not.
Adoption
Further, the author dedicates a smaller section to the discussion of adoptions. Compared to the first half of the previous century, adoptions are now more open and transparent, but their total number has declined for several reasons. The author highlights that abortion legality, birth control effective fertility treatment availability, and decreased single motherhood stigma have resulted in lower rates of unwanted kids (Cohen, 2018). At the same time, adopted children generally know about this and are not shamed by society. Lastly, Cohen (2018) divides adoption options into foster care, private services, and international ones, with the latter being the most complicated.
Why (Not) Have Children?
Next, according to Cohen (2018), the primary factors making families have many children in the past century and earlier were child labor and a lack of other opportunities to achieve their long-term survival plan. Currently, people report feeling ready to give birth to their first kid, lacking the motivation to prevent getting pregnant or believing kids are their only way to avoid addictions and poor-handled lives. At the same time, medical reasons, such as infertility, external circumstances, or their own private choice, can make people get abortions, especially considering the higher availability of this option. All these families with no kids can be divided into childless and child-free. Interestingly, “the passion of the childfree movement is motivated partly by the backlash against the culture of intensive parenting” (Cohen, 2018, p. 335).
Parenting
This chapter’s last major section discusses some primary aspects of parenting and childhood. Generally, parents need to give their kids the skills and resources for socialization, social bonds, and social networks. The concept of childhood has changed significantly, with kids becoming more priceless, wanted, and cared about, even though it is costly due to different reasons, such as financial and emotional resources and legal and social responsibility. As environments change, recommendations alter as well, and now parents are advised to let their kids play more to develop better and control their online activities. Finally, the concept of fatherhood has also become different, shifting from the male provider ideal to the involved father ideal.
References
Cohen, P. N. (2018). The family: Diversity, inequality, and social change. W. W. Norton & Company.