Divorce and family breakdown were virtually unheard of just 100 years ago. Now, however, almost half of all marriages fail. This phenomenon is symptomatic of the growing distance between family members in modern society. In this essay, I intend to explore the sources of this problem along with some possible solutions to it.
Chief among the causes of this problem is the modern lifestyle. Today’s parents have to work harder than those of previous generations to support their families. Traditionally, one parent assumed the role of breadwinner, while the other – typically the mother – acted as the homemaker. Recently, though, double income families have become the norm. Consequently, an increasing number of children now grow up in a parentless environment. Little wonder, then, that they feel alienated. Another contributing factor is the passive and solitary nature of many modern forms of entertainment.
In order to resolve this sense of alienation within families, I believe we must first address its root causes. Perhaps the most effective method of doing this would be for governments to offer financial incentives to parents who choose to remain at home and take care of their families. Admittedly, such incentives would probably not fully compensate couples for lost income; however, they would at least soften the hardship of living on a single income and provide an alternative for parents who would rather remain at home but are unable to do so because of financial constraints. One further measure would be to promote more interactive leisure activities in the community through public education campaigns.
In conclusion, I believe that this is clearly a problem of such complexity that no solution is likely in the short term. However, I believe that the measures outlined above would constitute a good first step.