l Opinion Research Center of 2,832 people 18 years of age or older, is the parental arrangement for children. In 1972, 73 percent of children lived with their original two parents, who were married to each other. In 1998, only 51.7 percent of children lived in this type of arrangement. The number of children living with single parents rose from 4.7 in 1972 to 18.2 in 1988, and the number of children living with two unmarried adults who were formerly married rose from 3.8 percent to 8.6 percent. Others lived with remarried or cohabiting parents. In 1972, the most common arrangement was a married couple with children, but in 1988 this arrangement was only favored by 26 percent of couples. The number of households with unmarried adults and no children rose from 16 percent in 1972 to 32 percent in 1988.
A job outside the home was unusual for a mother a generation ago, but in 1972, 33 percent of parents both had jobs, and in 1988 this rate had risen to 67 percent2. The number of households in which the woman worked and the husband stayed home al
...