Two parents, either married or cohabiting, more than two parents, a child at all costs, homosexual parents There are many ways to be mothers and fathers, a variety of family types. This book describes how, in modern and contemporary societies, the features and the values of parental experience have changed: mothers are increasingly involved outside of the domestic sphere and seek opportunities for self-realization in the workplace; fathers are increasingly engaged in childcare and sharing family duties; the traditional family model is declining as new types of households emerge, in which biological and social bonds combine in novel ways. This text addresses today's parents' feelings, challenges, new risks, and responsibilities.

Anna Laura Zanatta used to teach Sociology of the Family at La Sapienza University in Rome.