Diversity Activity

The "Typical Family"

Objective - To challenge what we believe is true about the typical American Family.

Time - about 20 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Divide the class into small groups - about 4 learners to a group.

2. Hand out the information below to each learner and have them discuss and define the "Typical Family".

3. After the small groups have discussed the activity for about 10 minutes, bring the groups together and have each group present their findings.

4. Conclusion - The "typical American family" is a myth or an illusion.

5. NOTES:
Steady decrease in family size over recent decades has slowed.
Baby Boom generation is aging.
Babies born to unwed mothers has declined for the first time in 20 years (fallen 4% since 1994).
In recent years the divorce rate has been 4 in 10.
Sixty percent of the people living alone are women and most of them are elderly. 



The Typical Family
1970 1995
Families headed by married couple 87% 78%
People per household 3.14 2.65
Household made up of married couples with children 40% 25%
Household made up of married couples with no children 30.3 28.9
Households made up of 5 or more people 1 in 5 1 in 10
Households made up of people living alone 1 in 6 1 in 4
Families headed by women with no husband present 5.6 million 12.2 million
Families headed by men with no wife present 1.2 million 3.2 million
Households in metropolitan areas 2 in 3 4 in 5
Families with no children under 18 at home 44% 51% 
 
Source: Census Bureau


Notes
Created January 18, 1998. Last update - April 23, 2000.
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About
Donald R. Clark
donclark@nwlink.com
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/family.html