There was a whole lot more to it than that. Relative income was far greater than it is today. Folks of the 50's enjoyed a higher standard of living, and that was generally with a single wage earner in the house. Now, it takes two wage earners to earn less income accounting for inflation. Nobody is home to raise the kids. This is the first time in decades that relative income has risen, and it's still nowhere near what it was in the 50's. Also, individual productivity is far greater than it was. A good part of the increased productivity is due to advancing technology, but part of it is also due to higher expectations, which creates higher stress, which further impacts families. In the 50's, the workday was 9-5, as lunch was paid. That went away in the late 70's/Early 80's with the decline of the unions. Add to that the fact that the population is close to double what it was back in the 50's. That increases competition for resources, which creates additional stress and lowers the overall standard of living.