Parenting, the Neo-Conventional Family and the Rapoports

Parenting, the Neo-Conventional Family and the Rapoports

1. Lone Parent Families - now account for 1/4 of all families (90% female-headed).

   • New Right blame generous welfare benefits for encouraging the increase and creating a 'dependency culture'.
     • These are usually poor, because lack of affordable childcare prevents mothers working and because fathers don't pay maintenance.

2. Reconstituted or step-families are increasing due to divorce and re-marriage. Account for around 8% of families.

3. Chester (1985) - increased diversity, but nuclear family still dominant.

   • Main change is that both partners work (like symmetrical family).
   • People still aspire to nuclear family as a model.

4. Rapoport and Rapoport

   • Diversity is CENTRAL to the family.
   • 5. Organisational - joint or segregated conjugal roles.
   • 2. Cultural - ethnic groups have different family structures.
   • 1. Class Differences - e.g. differences in child-rearing practices.
   • 4. Life Cycle Differences - e.g. pensioner couples, parents with young children.
   • 3. Generational Differences - e.g. attitudes to cohabitation.

5. Ethnic Differences

   • More black lone parents (49% of families) than white (23% of families). Result of high male unemployment, or black women valuing independence more highly.
   • Large Asian households, due to the cultural importance of the extended family and need for support when migrating.