Trends in family formation are crucial in determining the types of families that will exist in future generations. It is a fact that father-mother families that have existed for many generations have maintained themselves over the years due to the belief that they are the ideal type of organized family. However, trends in family formation today are changing as an increasing number of families are facing various challenges such as divorce, single parent situations, financial problems, legal battles over custody and wealth, and infidelity, among other challenges. This has led young people to question whether the traditional way of doing things is practical in the twenty-first century, and many do not intend to follow in their parents' footsteps in relation to marriage and parenting (Morrison, Headrick, Wasoff & Morton, 2004). Heterosexual marriages and relationships in today's world are changing. In the past, these were created and cultivated to last for many years, with the intention of lasting a lifetime. Today these unions are not necessarily long-lasting and some are even perpetuated for purposes such as financial gain; whereby a spouse marries their partner only to obtain the financial benefits of the marriage. These types of marriages don't last and eventually end in divorce. Brannen (2002) reports that from the 1970s to the late 1990s, divorce rates increased while marriage rates decreased in European countries. Canadian trends in gender and family relations are also reported to be increasing tolerance for divorce, nonmarital cohabitation, and unmarried parenthood (Roberts, 2005). The trends of the modern age in family formation are changing and the change is... middle of the article ......Sexual marriages are also becoming integrated into the accepted norms of behavior. Works Cited Julia Brannen, J. (2002). Young Europeans, work and family: futures in transition. London, UK: Routledge Morrison, A., Headrick D., Wasoff F. & Morton, S. (2004). Family formation and dissolution: trends and attitudes of the Scottish population. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/1842/2792/1/0029610.pdfRoberts, L. W. (2005). Recent social trends in Canada, 1960-2000. Canada: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUPStanton, G.L. & Maier, B. (2004). Marriage on trial: The case against same-sex marriage and parenting. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press Wagner, C. G. (2010). Homosexuality and family formation. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go2133/is_201005/ai_n53505310/