"[This book] identifies a new family model geared for the post-industrial economy. Rooted in the urban middle class, the coasts and the "blue states" in the last three presidential elections, the Blue Family Paradigm emphasizes the importance of women's as well as men's workforce participation, egalitarian gender roles, and the delay of family formation until both parents are emotionally and financially ready. By contrast, the Red Family Paradigm--associated...

As nearly 75 million American Baby Boomers approach old age, their diverse family structures mean that caregiving will fall on a different cast of family members than in the past. Current approaches in the United States are based on a caregiving model that presumes life-long connection between married parents and their offspring, a connection that involves shared norms and implies a valuable safety net for caregiving. However, this model no longer...