The direction of a family’s pathway reflects how well—or poorly—parents and other caretakers were able to develop flexible gender strategies to cope with unexpected but increasingly pervasive changes in relationships, jobs, and child rearing. By creating more harmonious and egalitarian bonds, a more satisfying balance between work and home, or an expanded network of care, parents and other caretakers enhanced a child’s sense of support. When caretakers held onto fixed gender arrangements that no longer provided personal satisfaction, marital cohesion, or sufficient economic resources, a
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