Future Families explores the variety of family forms which characterize our contemporary culture, while addressing the implications of these increasingly diverse family units on child development. Reveals the diversity of new family forms based on the most current research on fathers, same-gender parents, new reproductive technologies, and immigrant families Illustrates that children and adults can thrive in a variety of non-traditional family forms Shows the interrelatedness of new trends in family organization through the common themes of embedded families and caregiving in community and cultural contexts Features an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from works in areas that include child development, family studies, sociology, cross-cultural scholarship, ethnic studies, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and even architecture Sets an agenda for future research in the area of families by identifying important gaps in our knowledge about families and parenting

Future Families explores the variety of family forms which characterize our contemporary culture, while addressing the implications of these increasingly diverse family units on child development.* Reveals the diversity of new family forms based on the most current research on fathers, same-gender parents, new reproductive technologies, and immigrant families* Illustrates that children and adults can thrive in a variety of non-traditional family forms* Shows the interrelatedness of new trends in family organization through the common themes of embedded families and caregiving in community and cultural contexts* Features an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from works in areas that include child development, family studies, sociology, cross-cultural scholarship, ethnic studies, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and even architecture* Sets an agenda for future research in the area of families by identifying important gaps in our knowledge about families and parenting

Preface viAcknowledgments ixAbout the Author xi1 Challenges to the Ideal Family Form 12 Changing Parental Roles: The Sharing and Redistribution ofFamily Responsibility in Contemporary Families 253 Further Assaults on the "Ideal" Family Form:Divorce, Remarriage, Single Parenthood, and Cohabitation 554 Same-Gender Families: Are Two Mothers or Fathers Good Enough?845 How Many "Parents" Are Too Many? Insights from theAssisted Reproductive Technologies Front 1116 Many Mothers, Many Fathers, Many Others: Insights from OtherCultures 1417 All about Relatives and Fictive Relatives: Insights fromDiverse Ethnic Groups in Our Own Culture (Past and Present) 1608 Multiple Caregivers: Harmful or Helpful for CaregiversThemselves 1919 In Support of Alternative Family Forms: Overcoming theBarriers to Change 209References 243Index 292