Today S Canadian Families

Inside With the activities in this resource your students will: gain an understanding of the structure of various families, their diversity and cultural differences. ; accept and celebrate differences in their classroom society as well as outside societies. ; understand the roles and responsibilities of various family members. ; learn how traditions and celebrations work together to build strong, cultural relationships and family identities. ; be able to recognize that strong families working together from within help to create strong communities.

This fact sheet describes various types of family based on the 1995 General Social Survey cycle 10.

This contributed collection of original essays by Canadian scholars examines the issues and trends affecting families in Canada today. The text introduces the sociology of family life by illustrating the changing and diverse definition of families and exploring various life stages and events such as relationship formation and marriage, child-raising, and the life experiences of the elderly. With a wealth of pedagogical features, this new second edition offers students an in-depth and up-to-date introduction to the sociological study of families.

Inside With the activities in this resource your students will: gain an understanding of the structure of various families, their diversity and cultural differences. ; accept and celebrate differences in their classroom society as well as outside societies. ; understand the roles and responsibilities of various family members. ; learn how traditions and celebrations work together to build strong, cultural relationships and family identities. ; be able to recognize that strong families working together from within help to create strong communities.

Structural changes that have taken place in Canadian families in recent decades are described in this booklet. Topical sections are as follows: (1) What Counts in Canadian Families (importance of (importance of family); (2) The Family--Variations on a Theme origins, family structure, seniors aged 60 and over, how lives are spent, religion); (3) Families Are Changing in Size and Structure (e.g., marriages and divorces, remarriage, causes of lone parenthood, age at first marriage, age at parenthood, average number of births per woman); (4) How Today's Families Are Making Ends Meet (e.g., family income, one- and two-wage earner families, poor families with children); (5) How Families Care for Each Other (e.g., where the elderly live, seniors needing help, child care need); and (6) Beyond Families: Who's Responsible? (brief answers to questions about handling problems without family support). Each section is illustrated with statistical data in graph form. Among the statistical information presented are the following: 85 percent of all young people aged 15 to 24 intend to have children; 37 percent of Canadians over age 15 have at least one foreign-born parent; the population aged 65 and over is the fastest growing segment; and children living with a lone-parent mother are five times more likely to live in poverty than those living with two parents. A French version of the booklet accompanies the English one. Contains 30 references. (LB)

Canadian families come from all over the world. Learn about some of the cultures and languages that make being Canadian so great. Talk to the children in your life about your family, and add your family’s story to this unique book.