Nuclear family ‘a thing of the past’

The nuclear family is a thing of the past, according to new research that found only a quarter of 15-year-olds live with both their biological parents.

Only 6 per cent of those surveyed had spent their whole lives in households made up of only their mum, dad and siblings.

The research was part of The Next Generation Study, which analysed the lives of 209 15-yearolds who are children of members of the internationally-renowned Dunedin project.

Researcher Dr Judith Sligo said few teenagers had a consistent pattern of parental-care arrangements and most had experienced multiple changes in who they were living with.

Only 54 (26 per cent) of the participants were living with both of their biological parents at age 15, and just 14 (6 per cent) had lived their whole lives in households made up of only their mother, father and siblings.

‘‘This research just really debunks the idea of a nuclear family living in a nice little house with a white picket fence,’’ Sligo said. ’’There is a huge diversity of family arrangements.’’

"There is a huge diversity of family arrangements." Dr Judith Sligo

Overall, the participants experienced up to eight changes in care arrangements over their 15 years. They also had lived at an average of eight different addresses.

Pip Giles-Hosken is raising three children on her own and says the family has undergone a lot of change over the last few years. She separated from her children’s father two years ago.

‘‘Being a single parent is tough. When you have a partner, you share all the jobs and childcare. When you are on your own, you have to do it all.’’

She knew a lot of families in a similar situation.

Growing Up In New Zealand is a longitudinal study tracking the development of about 7000 Kiwi children from before birth until they are young adults.

Research director Susan Morton said the Next Generation findings revealed the diversity of family life in New Zealand, but should not be taken as a representational sample.