Modern Families: Parents and Children in New Family Forms

After years of speculation as to what kind of family arrangement suits kids best, Golombok (family research, Univ. of Cambridge, UK) gives readers solid evidence and data covering every kind of "new" family that's emerged over the last four decades. The author actually began her work in the mid-1970s, studying children with lesbian mothers. Now she presents solid research on "new" (avoiding the term "nontraditional") families—including IVF families, donor conception families, surrogacy, families with solo mothers or gay fathers or adoptive gay fathers, and so on. This study has worldwide scope, and it puts to rest all the murkiness and judgment surrounding the field of family studies; the world of Dick and Jane, Mother and Father, is a tiny part of "family," Golombok shows. Overall, without oversimplification, the author concludes that while the type of family doesn't matter for children's well-being and development, the quality of family life matters a great deal—family processes are more influential than family structure. The book is complemented by an excellent bibliography and a list of further reading.