Though the presentation of carefully selected readings, Families in Daily Life: Macro and Micro Perspectives helps students develop a comprehensive understanding of family life dynamics at a macro and micro level. The text examines the interactions, attitudes, and emotions that shape individual family ties, while also exploring the interplay between larger population dynamics in family life and how policy and cultural norms shape population dynamics.

The book begins with readings that address macro-level historical changes in broader American society, including the Industrial Revolution and the shift to marrying for love rather than economic security, to provide a demographic overview of contemporary American families. In later chapters, selected readings address how socioeconomic status can affect family life, the role of race and ethnicity in families, the various approaches to coupling and marriage, the impact of work on family life, LGBT couplehood, and more.

Encompassing all the richness that family science has to offer, Families in Daily Life is an ideal text for courses in family science, psychology, sociology, history, and economics.