It seems counterintuitive that rising divorce rates, fewer children, and an increase in dual-income families would result in an increase in time couples spend together, and in time parents spend with children, but according to Minnesota Population Center researcher, Katie Genadek, this is exactly what the data are showing. Her goal: to determine why an increase in factors that seem to undermine quality family time could actually result in an increase in the time families spend together.
IPUMS has updated the family interrelationship variables in IPUMS CPS and the Integrated Health Interview Series (IHIS) to include same-sex and cohabiting couples. The updated variables dramatically reduce research barriers for those interested in this family and household context.
Life can sometimes feel as though it’s lived in “fast forward.” Stressful jobs, daily hassles, and the demands of raising children can leave parents feeling as though they are fighting for every moment of family time. The notion of “family time” can conjure romanticized images of years past, with families sitting around a dining room table discussing work, school, and current events.