Changing Roles Is there any reason to be optimistic about the future of marriage and the nuclear family ? The answer is yes, and the main reason is that many changes will soon take place in the roles of husbands and wives. The wife won’t be satisfied with looking forward to staying home the rest of her life. Even if she enjoys housework and taking care of children, she will see herself as more than a housekeeper and mother. She will look for ways to establish her own identity. If she gets a job, she won’t have to apologize for working. Being able to rely on herself will be of great importance to her. The husband’s role will change, too. He will begin to realize that work should not be the most important thing in his life. He will understand that he must share family responsibilities if he wants to be an equal partner. The idea of washing dishes and changing diapers won’t bother him, and he won’t consider himself henpecked for doing what will be sometimes called “women’s work.” Keep a cat During the twentieth century, almost two million people in New York City owned cats.
Although cats that lived in a store or restaurant were useful for catching rats and mice, cats that lived in apartments didn’t do a thing to earn their living. Why, then, did so many people who lived in cities keep cats? First, cats relieved the loneliness many city-dwellers felt. They were bright, loving and active. Their ability to entertain was almost unlimited. Second, cats were easy to take care of. They didn’t have to be washed, walked or licensed, and they seemed to be able to