There is both good news and bad news in the latest edition of Trends in the Well-being of America’s Children and Youth, an annual report by Child Trends, Inc., and the Department of Health and Human Services:

• A shrinking proportion of children live with two parents: 85% in 1970, 68% in 1998.
• Children are increasingly likely to be born to unmarried women: 10.7% in 1970; 32.4% in 1997.
• The proportion of children living below the poverty level has crept upward in recent decades: 15% in 1970; 19% in 1997.
• Preschoolers with working moms are more likely to be in day care: 15% in 1977; 34% in 1994.
• Children aged 3-5 are participating less frequently in literacy activities with parents, such as
  • being read to (53% in 1991 vs. 39% in 1996),
  • being told a story at least three times a week (43% in 1991 vs. 35% in 1996), or
  • visiting a library at least once in the past month (38% in 1991 vs. 36% in 1996).
• But mothers are participating more: 38% of mothers helped children with reading or homework “almost every day” in 1988; 40% in 1995.
• Victimization of teenagers is declining from recent high rates: 43.2 of 1,000 teens aged 12-17 were victims of serious violent crime in 1990; 27.1 in 1997.
• Kids are watching less television: 26% of 9-year-olds reported watching six or more hours of television a day in 1982; 18% in 1996.

Source: Trends in the Well-being of America’s Children & Youth 1999 by Child Trends, Inc., and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2000. 505 pages. Paperback. $45.

Last update on 10/15/08
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