The United Nations has designated 1994 as the International Year of the Family. Major activities for its observance will be held at local, regional and national levels worldwide, assisted by the U.N. system, centering around the theme "Family: Resources and Responsibilities in a Changing World."
The USDA Cooperative Extension Service will be participating in Year of the Family activities, with an educational program designed to address the challenges of balancing family and work."One of the most critical problems facing today's workplaces, communities and families is balancing work and family life," says the USDA. "The well-being of children, youth and families has been recognized nationally as a high priority issue. The demands of today's work environment and the significant increases in the number of both dual-worker households and single parents are making work and family clearly a part of that national issue."
One of the major parts of this program will be an interactive satellite teleconference developed at Utah State University.
In the meantime, the American family has come under increasing scrutiny from a variety of sources. And this week, National Family Week, is an appropriate time to take a look at some of the latest surveys and studies. What's become of the American family? What's the American family becoming? These surveys provide some clues:
- MCI FRIENDS AND FAMILY SURVEY, conducted by Louis Harris an Associates.
The "American Dream" appears vastly different in the '90s, as contemporary stresses - such as having both parents work or caring for chronically ill family members - are forcing Americans to a more realistic, often pessimistic, view of their future, says MCI. Among survey findings:
- Only 16 percent are very satisfied with the kind of world they have inherited; and only 9 percent are very satisfied with the kind of world they are leaving for their children.
- Only half of the people under 40 believe they'll do better financially than their parents did. And only 55 percent think their children will do better than they.
- In an interesting conflict, while four in five Americans accept the practice of a woman continuing to work while raising children, half of all Americans believe the trend toward both parents working has had a generally negative effect on families.
- To cope with the demands of stretched budgets and time, Americans are finding high levels of support from their extended family. Some 58 percent of parents with children under 6 at least partly depend on other relatives for child care during working hours.
- When defining "close family," more than 9 out of 10 Americans include grandparents; 7 in 10 include nieces/nephews, aunts/uncles, stepchildren and siblings.
- Not only are families expanding, they are staying together longer as well. Nearly one-fourth of respondents age 18-40 still live at home with their parents.
- Amidst the debate about American health care, the study showed that a sizeable minority of adults care for chronically ill or disabled family members, with 20 percent providing care in the last week.
- Three-fourths of survey respondents feel the portrayal of American families on TV is unrealistic. And when asked which famous family in real life best personifies American family life, more than three-fourths said "not sure" or "none." Of the real-life families mentioned, presidential families rank at the top. The Bushes are mentioned most often (5 percent), followed by the Clintons (3 percent).
- FAMILY CIRCLE FAMILY INDEX, based on interviews with 2,004 American heads of households conducted by Family Circle magazine.
The survey was designed to identify problems, help understand what makes a family strong and look at what can undermine that process. Seven qualities that occur more often in strong, happy families were identified; these qualities also showed up least often in families rated less successful. (See chart).
A panel of experts on family life also rated nine areas that define quality of life. Under these guidelines, 57 percent of those polled were deemed to enjoy an excellent or good quality of life.
For the majority (72 percent), the biggest trouble spot is health care. A close second is frustration over community services.
Other findings include:
- 56 percent of parents admit they've yelled at their kids more than they should have.
- 24 percent say they've used language they wish they hadn't; but only 4 percent said they've spanked a child harder than they should have.
- 51 percent of those polled would like to change some aspects of their life: 28 percent of those would like to move to a different neighborhood, 31 percent would like to change jobs, 39 percent of the single people would like to get married.
- What factors stand in the way of a family's future well-being and happiness? Americans put serious illness at the top of the list. Lack of a good education came next.
- When asked how often parenthood has been enjoyable, 83 percent said "always" or "nearly always." That compares to 79 percent responding that way in a 1971 survey.
- SHONEY'S RESTAURANTS FAMILY VALUES SURVEY, conducted by 20/20 Research, a Nashville-based market research firm.
Although we hear a lot about deterioration of family values in the '90s, the Shoney's survey, which polled adults with a least one child living at home, shows traditional activities are still valued. Such things as helping children with homework, attending church, eating with the family and vacationing together are still considered to be an important part of family life.
According to the survey:
- Nearly three-fourths of respondents said they spend time each week helping their children with their homework. Mothers, on the average, spend 6.1 hours per week helping school-age children; fathers spend 3.3 hours per week helping children with their studies.
- When asked what daily or weekly event brings the family together most often, eating meals together ranked highest, followed by activities kids are involved in, and going to church together.
- On the whole parents are satisfied with the amount of time they spend with their families: 60 percent are either satisfied or very satisfied, compared to 32.7 percent who are dissatisfied or dissatisfied. However, mothers tend to have a higher satisfaction level than fathers.
- Income seems to play a role in the satisfaction level of parents, too. Those with incomes under $40,000 show more satisfaction than those with higher incomes.
- Just over a third of the respondents say they are spending the same amount of time with their families now that they did five years ago; while a fourth are spending more time, and 27 percent are spending less time than they did five years ago.
- 57 percent of the respondents eat out as a family four or more times a month. Amusement parks were the preferred choice for a family vacation, followed by the beach/ocean and national parks.
- 32.6 percent say they attend religious services four times a month. And a majority of survey participants agree that religion has an important impact on family life; two-thirds cite religion as extremely important/important to family life, 26 percent say it is somewhat important and 8.7 percent say it is not important.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Seven factors of family success
According to the Family Circle Family Index, successful families:
1. Strategically plan for their financial future. Strong families have some money set aside both for emergencies and for retirement.
2. Know how to express anger without hurt feelings. Family members do not often say things in anger that they later regret.
3. Adults in the family do their quarreling privately. They rarely argue in front of their children or other adults.
4. Husband and wife seldom disagree on how to spend the family money.
5. Feel connected to the neighborhood. Families identified as strong are more likely to know their neighbors, vote and believe they have influence with local government.
6. Make time for relaxation. Strong families recognize that adults need time for themselves and that families need to share leisure time.
7. Take vacations together. Getting away together at least once or twice a year gives families a chance to bond and interact in ways that strengthen the family.
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Which family is your role model?
Parent's family 50%
Friend's family 12$
Grandparent's family 11%
Brother's or sister's family 8%
Co-worker's family 2%
My own family 2%
Other 5%
Not sure/refused 9%
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Family activities
Regular weekly or daily activities that bring the family together most often are:
Meals at home 68.5%
Activities kids involved in 24.2%
Church/synagogue 19.5%
Regular leisure outing 17.7%
Television 17.0%
Sporting event 7.0%
Going out to eat 6.1%
Other 18.9%