The Sloan Work and Family Research Network form Boston College has a series of "topic pages" that provide helpful information on a wide variety of work-life issues.
Only about half of parents with annual incomes of less than $25,000 expect their child will attain a four-year-college degree, compared with more than eight in ten parents with incomes over $75,000.
Timothy Biblarz, Ph.D., University of Southern California, and Judith Stacey, Ph.D., New York University, lead this signature plenary session. In their JMF article in February, Timothy Biblarz and Judith Stacey challenged the idea that “fatherless” children are necessarily at a disadvantage or that men provide a different, indispensable set of parenting skills than women. The article is based on their analysis of relevant studies about parenting, including available research on single-mother and single-father households, gay male parents and lesbian parents.
Discussant: Joseph Pleck, Ph.D., University of Illinois
by Daniel T. Lichter, Ph.D., and Julie H. Carmalt, Ph.D., Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University
Should we therefore be concerned about the accelerated uncoupling of marriage and childbearing? The statistical correlations seem clear. But interpretations also have been made ambiguous by the rise in cohabitation. A growing share - perhaps even a majority share - of children born outside of marriage live with both biological parents.
by Robert M. Milardo, Ph.D., Professor of Family Relations, University of Maine
I did not intend to write a book about aunts and uncles or their nieces and nephews, at least not initially. I began with a simple interest in uncovering instances of men in caregiving roles, other than fathers. My own uncles were positive influences in my life, and I simply wondered if uncles were important in the lives of others.
by Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University
At a recent meeting I was greeted with the exclamation, "Sarah! You have to see this video. The mom had the most horrified look on her face while the dad was interacting with the baby! She could hardly keep from interfering with him while he was dressing the baby!"
by Murray A. Straus, Ph.D., Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire
The idea that ending spanking and other legal corporal punishment by parents can make a major contribution to preventing physical abuse of children seems preposterous to all but a few of the parent educators, child psychologists, pediatricians and other professionals I talk to. Paradoxically, it is rarely because they are in favor of spanking. Even more paradoxical is that most also think that spanking is an undesirable mode of parenting and many advise parents to use alternatives to correct misbehavior.
Conventional wisdom and research strongly suggest that when divorced parents can eventually co-parent, protect their children from their unresolved conflicts, incorporate authoritative parenting skills and maintain good mental health, their children have a good chance to fare well in the long term. These are ideal goals for any family, not just those of divorce. But, during the stressful period prior to the separation-and often for several years afterward-even the most dedicated parents are unsteady.
by Leah Schmalzbauer, Ph.D., Montana State University
Whereas poor women used to migrate primarily to reunite with family, they are increasingly migrating in search of wages to support their children. This trend is rooted in an increased supply of poor women in the South who cannot secure living wages. But more importantly it is fueled by the feminization of the low-wage care industry.
