Collapse of the Traditional Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Collapse of the Traditional Family - Essay Example The first thing that immediately occurs to mind, the number one culprit, is of course the exploding divroce rates, in the Western societies as well as in many developing nations. Divorce rates have been on the rise for decades now, but they seem to be shoooting up to epidemic proportions with each passing day. The very institution of marriage which lies at the root of family and home is under assault. Out-of-wedlock births too are drastically rising. Unmarried cohabitation is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in contemoporary society. The sporadic spread of same-gender marriages are another aspect of the problem. So, one way or other, it is the fact that more and more people are losing their faith in the sanctity of marriage between man and woman which is ultimately threatening the very viability of our society. In a more immediate sense, though, this is adversely affecting the lives of millions of innocent children, causing grave irreparable damage to their delicate sensibi lities at a very tender age. No wonder then that so many of our national leaders are seriously concerned about the need for fortifying the edifice of family, in their bid to build a more coherent and sensible society. A resurgence of early and almost universal marriage, as it happened in the postwar periods of 1950s and 1960s, is bound to revitalize our society. But what is so different between our own times and just a couple of decades ago Why cannot such a thing cannot happen today One most conspicuous difference is the tremendously greater proportion of full-time working women in today's world as compared to the 50's. This is of coure a very positive change. But could not the absence of the mother from the household for the better part of the day be taking its toll on the upbringing and well-being of the children Not necessarily, since it has its own advantages. A confident and independent mother can serve as a better role model for children of both sexes, and not just the girls. Obviously, with both dad and mom working, there would be two incomes instead of one, and this translates to better financial security for children. Also, in a way, with relatively less time available to spend with children, the parents would tend to treasure this time even more than if time weren't such a constraint. It is a universal truth in any relationship, whether between lovers or between parents and children, that distance brings people closer, making them grow fonder of each other. But only to a certain extent though, a little more distance and it can alienate people, to which point we will come shortly. Now though there may be several practical advantages to argue in favor of working women, in relation to their families, the cohesive presence of a full-time mother acting as the central force in holding together the home, with her love and mystique - is simply irreplaceable. It is becoming an increasingly rare sight these days, and evokes a kind of idyllic nostalgia in many of us. But still, if certain things have to be gained, certain other things have to be