Changing Nature of the
American Family … in pictures
and statistics
From Ozzie & Harriet to
ABC’s Modern Family
1950’s “Normal” Family
Ozzie & Harriet (1952-1966)
Leave it to Beaver (1957-1963)
 A bread-winning father
 A care-taking mother
 One or more children under age 19
The Modern U.S. Family
 Only 9% of U.S. Households fit the old
definition of the “normal” family
 A majority of families have NO children
under age 18
 More than 25% of all families with children
are single parent families
 72% of women in the child-bearing years
are employed
 There are more grandparents than
grandchildren
Source: Arvonne Fraser, “The Changing American Family”
Modern Family – ABC Series
74
26
% Married
Source: Pew Research Center
Source: Pew Research Center
Source: Pew Research Center
5.0
The Return of the Multi-Generational Family