shows from the fifties and sixties with the nuclear family (mom, dad, and two kids) spending the majority of their time together. That is how things used to be. Times were different. Families spent time together; it wasn't some magical trick started by the television stations to make people believe that families were together back then. They really were. .
According to Webster's, the definition for the term family is as follows, "Two or more people who share goals and values, have long term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place." This definition has not changed over the years; families today still rely on each other for love, and financial and emotional stability. Although the definition has not changed, alternative family styles, technology, and lenient rules cause a lack of interaction and the actual meaning of the word family has taken a hairpin turn for the worse.
Alternative style families make it harder for the entire family to interact. However, the role of the nuclear family is becoming less and less common in today's society, although it shouldn't be. These alternative families cause a separation and do nothing in the long run other than make it more difficult for a child to develop into a successful and prosperous citizen.
Single mothers can be successful, but they are disproportionately likely to be poor, and poverty is associated with a host of negative outcomes among children (McLoyd 185). Single mothers must also work long hours to support their child/children and have less time for them. A foster home is another form of an alternative family. Foster homes often have two parents watching a child for only a couple months at a time, not too much steady interaction for that child. Either way, the child is not getting the attention he/she needs.
Step families are also on the rise today. One might say, "Step families provide a good environment for raising a child.