Children in two-parent families in middle- and higher-income
countries around the world tend to have better educational
outcomes than those living with only one parent or without a
parent, according to a major new international report by Child
Trends. Child Trends teamed up with scholars and other experts
to create a "World Family Map" tracking family well-being and
noting how family structure, economic health and culture can
strengthen or weaken family life. The first of what are expected
to be annual reports contrasts what's going on in both high-
income and low-income nations worldwide, looking at 45
countries. The report, released today, looked at a range of
countries, from the very poor to the wealthy. Besides
considering income and education of both parents and children,
it looked at such "family processes" as eating meals together,
whether kids and parents discuss politics and attitudes toward
working moms — most countries say working mothers can have "just
as good relationships with their children as s