Decline in the Traditional Family

Over the past two decades there has been a considerable debate over the breakdown in the "traditional family". Some argue that the decline is due to a breakdown in family values, while others maintain there are structural reasons for changing patterns. In order to understand the so called breakdown of the traditional family, we must first define what family is.

"By the late 14^th century, the English word family, derived from the Latin word

for household including servants and slaves, had emerged to designate all those who lived under the authority of the household head...in the 17^th century the word exclusively referred to a man's offspring, as in the phrase 'his family and wife'. Not until the 19^th century did the word commonly describe a married couple with their co-resident children, distinguished from a household or more distant kin (Coontz,)."

Historically it was not until 200 years ago the definition of family was a married couple and their co-residing children. Ethnically the definition of family differs as well. A Montagnais-Naskapi Indian once said to a Jesuit missionary "you French people love only your own children; but we love all the children of our tribe." The Cheyenne Indians daughters were expected to have hostile relationships with their mothers and their closest relationships with their paternal aunt (Coontz).

Throughout history the definition of family has changed. A family was once every person in the household, every person under the authority head. Some Indian tribes considered the entire tribe "family". So, what is a "family"? More importantly, what is the "traditional family"? The traditional American family is a married couple, each only married once, and their 2.3 children. The male is the bread winner and female stays at home to care for the home and the children.