What changes families?

As I read through material about family, I was struck by the consistent dysfunction of the family throughout history. I wonder what society can do to promote healthy families if anything. I also wonder what causes the nature of families to shift and change. Is is technology? A different economy? The authors of Introduction to Sociology alluded to that. But does the construct of families also shift independently of these factors and if so, what causes this? I wonder if societies value different things at different times, and this is reflected on the family.

I thought about the roles that men and women usually perform and it did surprise me that women's jobs seemed harder than they are in reality. I know women who find joy and happiness in cooking every day and decorating and cleaning - all the typical women's roles. They love to nourish and are content. But I understand that more and more people consider these tasks too much and unfair to expect of women, especially when women have the ability and talent to be successful outside the home.

In my opinion, I believe that if women have children and a husband, these people are their first responsibility However, I do think that some women can do a good job of balancing work and family, or sometimes the husband and wife make a decision to have her work more while he does care taking duties in the family.