The biggest factor in the changing structure of today's family unit is in economics. The two-income household is now the norm of society. For example, Pauline Cobb, married and mother of seven children, works at JC Penney Telemarketing full-time. This added income allows for summer vacations for the entire family. Divorce rates are increasing as a result of economic independence.
Marriages are less stable because couples are no longer committed to long-term relationships.
For example, New York and Pennsylvania are ranked fifth in divorce rates. Although divorce static's are alarmingly high, there are many Americans that still believe in the institution of marriage. Marriage and family patterns are changing to adjust to the economic independence brought on by the industrial revolution. An equal marriage partnership is becoming more prevalent as Americans enter the new millennium. Marital egalitarians believe in shared household duties, financial equality, and equal gender roles.