<P> A breadwinner is the main financial provider in the family . Historically the husband has been the breadwinner; that trend is changing as wives start to take advantage of the women's movement to gain financial independence for themselves . According to the New York Times, "In 2001, wives earned more than their spouses in almost a third of married households where the wife worked ." Yet, even within nuclear families in which both spouses are employed outside the home, many men are still responsible for a substantially smaller share of household duties . </P> <P> Stay - at - home dads or "househusbands" are fathers that do not participate in the workforce and stay at home to raise their children--the male equivalent to housewives . Stay - at - home dads are not as popular in American society . According to the U.S. Census Bureau, "There are an estimated 105,000' stay - at - home' dads . These are married fathers with children under fifteen years of age who are not in the workforce primarily so they can care for family members, while their wives work for a living outside the home . Stay - at - home dads care for 189,000 children ." </P> <P> An only child (single child) is one without any biological or adopted brothers or sisters . Single children are stereotypically portrayed as spoiled, self - centered, and selfish . Only children often perform better in school and in their careers than children with siblings . </P> <P> Childfree couples choose to not have children . These include: young couples, who plan to have children later, as well as those who do not plan to have any children . Involuntary childlessness may be caused by infertility, medical problems, death of a child, or other factors . </P>

Less than what amount of u.s. families are considered to be traditional nuclear families