Final answer:
People's concepts of marriage and family in the United States are changing, with an increase in cohabitation, same-sex partners, and singlehood. Elder care and changing timetables are also important aspects of the discussion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Variations in Family Life
People's concepts of marriage and family in the United States are changing. Increases in cohabitation, same-sex partners, and singlehood are altering our ideas of marriage. Similarly, single parents, same-sex parents, cohabitating parents, and unwed parents are changing our notion of what it means to be a family. While most children still live in opposite-sex, two-parent, married households, that is no longer viewed as the only type of nuclear family.
Elder Care
In the twenty-first century, families face new challenges as the structure of family changes over time. Events like divorce and remarriage present new difficulties for families and individuals. Other long-standing domestic issues such as abuse continue to strain the health and stability of today's families.
Changing Timetable
Changes in the timetable of family life, cohabitation, and elder care can be influenced by various factors such as employment and economic conditions. Sociologists are studying the consequences of these new patterns, including the ways children influence and are influenced by them, as well as the changing needs for education, housing, and healthcare.