The Brady Bunch‘s major gimmick was it’s unusual living situation: a widow with “three very lovely girls” marries a man with “three boys of his own” which allowed hijinks and hilarity to ensue. The premise itself was enough to catch attention in the 1970′s. But today it’s not that unusual of a situation. While the traditional nuclear family is still seen as the norm, it isn’t the vast majority anymore. 16% of children are raised in a single parent household. We can blame the deterioration of values for the high divorce rate and other things, or we can just accept that times are changing and we as a society should adapt. I’m not saying anything against the traditional family. I’ve been happily married for 13 years. However from seeing many of my friends in different situations, I’m realizing a 1950′s white picket fence family doesn’t have to be the goal. Here are some alternative family situations I’ve seen that can be just as wonderful.

1. The Shared-Custody Nuclear Family. My husband’s best friend is no longer in a relationship with the mother of his daughter. Yet they still have a happy nuclear family. Both parents live in their own home across the street from each other. That way, while they share custody, the child has both parents available to her. The three of them often have family dinner together even. Mom and Dad aren’t lovers, but they are still partners as parents. This situation requires the parents to be friends still and get lucky enough to find homes walking distance from each other.
2. Kid Stays, We Move. One of the most difficult things for a child of divorced parents is the lack of stability. The child can never really settle and consider a place to be home. Living out of a backpack is no way to grow up. But why does the kid have to switch homes mid week? My physician is divorced with a fourteen year old son. He and his ex-wife decided that instead of making their son switch homes mid-week, he could stay in the home he was used to. The parents switch instead. Half the week my doctor lives with his son in the house. The other half of the week his ex-wife does.
3. Single Mom Team. What’s better than one mom? Two of course! One of my girlfriends was struggling as a single mom and fell in some financial trouble. Coincidentally one of her single mom friends was in the same situation. They joined forces with their kids and live in a lovely five-bedroom home that would be impossible for either to afford on their own. It’s kind of like communal living, but what it really is a family: a group of people who love each other and help each other grow.