Topics At A Glance: Family

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(Here are some goals people value in their lives. Please tell me how important each of the following is to you personally.)...Having a successful marriage...Is that one of the most important things in your life, or very important but not one of the most important things, or somewhat important, or not important? (If Very important, ask:) To clarify, would that be one of the most important things in your life, or very important but not one of the most important things, or somewhat important, or not important?

Pew Social Trends/Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Asian-American Survey, [Jan, 2012]

Now, thinking personally, how important would say the role of family is your own life?...Extremely important, very important, somewhat important, not very important, not important at all

AARP Family Today Survey, [Dec, 2011]

(Here are some goals that people value in their lives. Some people say these things are very important to them. Others say they are not so important. Please tell me how important each is to you personally.)...Having a successful marriage...Is that one of the most important things in your life, very important but not the most, somewhat important, or not important?

Pew Social Trends Poll, [Dec, 2011]

Biggest Problem Facing Families

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What is the most important financial problem facing your family today?

%
18		Lack of money/Low wages
12		Health care costs
12		Cost of owning/renting a home
11		High cost of living/inflation
11		Energy costs/oil and gas prices
9		Too much debt/Not enough money to pay debts
9		Unemployment/Loss of job
7		College expenses
5		Taxes
4		Retirement savings
3		Lack of savings
1		Transportation/commuting costs
1		Social Security
1		State of the economy
1		Stock market/investments
1		Controlling spending
*		Interest rates
4		Other
11		None
4		No opinion

Gallup Poll, [Apr, 2012]

Which one or two of the following do you believe is the biggest problem facing gay and lesbian people in this country?...Bullying of gay and lesbian students in schools, alienated from family and community, anti-gay violence and threat of violence, lack of legal protection for couples in a relationship, lack of recognition and validation of committed relationships among friends, family and community, discrimination in the work place and public accommodations, lack of protections for the children of same-sex couples

%
29		Bullying of gay and lesbian students in schools
21		Alienated from family and community
17		Anti-gay violence and threat of violence
16		Lack of legal protection for couples in a relationship
15		Lack of recognition and validation of committed relationships among friends, family and community
11		Discrimination in the work place and public accommodations
9		Lack of protections for the children of same-sex couples
7		All (Vol.)
5		None (Vol.)
7		Don't know/Refused

Human Rights Campaign Survey, [Jul, 2011]

What is the most important financial problem facing your family today?...First mention

%
8		Unemployment/Loss of job
13		Healthcare costs
4		Retirement savings
5		College expenses
11		Lack of money/cashflow
4		High cost of living/Inflation
11		Not enough money to pay debts
3		Low wages
2		Energy costs/Oil/Gas prices
4		Taxes
1		Interest rates
*		Social Security
10		Cost of owning/renting a home
2		Lack of savings
1		Controlling spending
*		Transportation/Commuting costs
1		State of the economy
1		Stock market/Investments
1		Other
12		None
4		Don't know
*		Refused

Gallup Poll, [Apr, 2010]

Ideal Number of Children

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What do you think is the ideal number of children for a family to have?

%
1		Zero/None
4		1
53		2
23		3
8		4
1		5
1		6 or more
5		Don't know
4		Refused

Gallup Poll, [Jun, 2011]

What do you think is the ideal number of children for a family to have?

%
3		0
3		1
46		2
27		3
9		4
1		5
1		6 or more
11		Don't know/Refused

Pew Social Trends Poll, [Apr, 2009]

What do you think is the ideal number of children for a family to have?

%
1		0
3		1
52		2
25		3
7		4
1		5
1		6 or more
9		No opinion

Gallup Poll, [Jun, 2007]

Satisfaction with Family Life

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Next, please tell me whether you are satisfied or dissatisfied, on the whole, with the following aspects of your life....Your family life...(If Satisfied/Dissatisfied, ask:) Would you say you are very satisfied/dissatisfied or somewhat satisfied/dissatisfied?

Pew Social Trends Poll, [Jul, 2012]

In general, how satisfied are you with...your family relationships overall? 1-7 scale, not at all satisfied-extremely satisfied.

AARP Family Today Survey, [Dec, 2011]

In general, how satisfied are you with...how often family members communicate with one another? 1-7 scale, not at all satisfied-extremely satisfied.

AARP Family Today Survey, [Dec, 2011]

Family Meals

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In a typical week, how often do you and your children eat dinner together?...0 days, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days, 7 days

%
4		0 days
3		1 day
6		2 days
9		3 days
13		4 days
24		5 days
11		6 days
30		7 days

CASA 2011 Attitudes on Substance Abuse Survey, [Mar, 2011]

Thinking of your own family, how often do you eat dinner together, that is (If Currently married, ask:) you and your spouse/(If Currently living with a partner, ask:) you and your partner/(If Divorced/Separated/Widowed/Never married/Don't know/Refused, ask:) you and some or all of your children? Do you do this every day, a few times a week, only occasionally, or never?

Note: Asked of parents of children age 17 or younger
Pew Social Trends/Time Poll, [Oct, 2010]

In a typical week, how often do you and your children eat dinner together?...0 days, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days, 7 days

%
3		0 days
4		1 day
9		2 days
7		3 days
12		4 days
24		5 days
14		6 days
26		7 days

CASA 2010 Attitudes on Substance Abuse Survey, [Apr, 2010]

Family Values

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(Who's stronger on the following issues?...Barack Obama, Mitt Romney)...Family values

Note: Registered voters (78%)
Ipsos-Public Affairs/Reuters Poll, [Sep, 2012]

(Who's stronger on the following issues?...Barack Obama, Mitt Romney)...Family values

Note: Registered voters (77%)
Ipsos-Public Affairs/Reuters Poll, [Apr, 2012]

(Here is another series of statements on some different topics.)...I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage. Do you completely agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or completely disagree?

Note: Asked of Form 2 half sample
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Values Survey, [Apr, 2012]

Challenges of Parenting

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Compared to what it's been like for you, do you think it will be easier, harder, or about as easy or hard for your child to...raise a family? (If Easier/Harder, ask:) (Is that much or a little easier/harder?)

%
25		Much easier
18		A little easier
19		About the same as for me
18		A little harder
18		Much harder
2		Don't know
2		Refused

Note: Asked of parents
Associated Press/Univision Poll, [Mar, 2010]

Do you think it is easier to raise a child now than it was in previous generations, harder, or is there no difference?

Marist Poll, [Apr, 2009]

Which stage do you think is the most difficult time to raise a child...infancy until they can walk, toddlers or preschool age, school age from 5 to 9, pre-teen 10 to 12, teenagers 13 to 19, or adulthood 20 and older?

Marist Poll, [Apr, 2009]

From the Archives

To your knowledge, who--if anyone--in your family is covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act--you, your spouse, someone else, or doesn't the law cover anyone in your family?

Family Matters Survey, [Jan, 1998]

(I am going to read you a list of things people say cause stress in their lives. For each one, please tell me if it is a very significant source, a somewhat significant source, not a very significant source, or not at all a significant source of stress in your life.)...Children

Stress and Mind/Body Health Survey, [Jan, 2006]

(We'd like to know what experiences you may have had as a parent with children attending school, whether you have children in school now or had children in school in the past. For each item I read, tell me whether it describes or does not describe your experience as a parent with children in school.... Met with your child's teachers at least four times a year

Note: See note
NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, [Mar, 1997]