As in most societies, much depends on the family’s socioeconomic status to categorize a family’s life. It will need to be mentioned that daily life has historically been dictated by the father. This is a patriarchal society we speak about.

Gradually, changes have been taking place in which women are becoming more educated, this is a change we have certainly seen in the United States in the last fifty years or less. The elite of Mexico will live by way of having many a servant to cook, clean, organize, plan, and complete the monotony of daily routines. The extremely wealthy are composed of 2% of the population in a country of 120 million people. The middle class, individuals with university degrees, working as teachers, professors, accountants, lawyers, and shop owners, are also quite capable of affording to pay for the services of a live-in maid. The employee will cook on average two meals per day, clean, and care for the children. Between sixty percent and fifty percent of the population is classified as lower class, los obreros, the working class. University degrees and high school diplomas are almost nonexistent in the majority of families living in this bracket. Approximately fifteen percent of the working class suffer dearly due to a lack of shelter, food, and the basic necessities human beings need in order to live productive, healthy lives.
Perhaps the greatest change in Mexico has been the decline of the fertility rate for Mexican women which was 7.3 children per woman in 1960, the number had gone down to 2.4 in 2009. During that same year, it was calculated that American women’s fertility rate was 2.0 children per female. The article sites that 2.0 children per female of child birthing age is what is needed to maintain a population. http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/23/v-mexico-by-the-numbers/
The divorce rate in Mexico continues to rise. In essence, popular culture in the United States continues to affect culture in many other countries, Mexico is not immune to these happenings. However, the United States’ divorce rate is now at 53% while Mexico’s is at 14%. Some of this is accounted due to religion but I would argue most of it is centered around the importance of one’s family given that one cannot count on any other aspect of the government, federal or state, in order to survive. The family in Mexico continues to be queen, la familia es la madre de México y sin ella habría más desmadre de lo que ya hay (the family is the mother of Mexico and without her there would be chaos- I have elected not to translate the word desmadre in its vulgar sense). Without the importance placed on one’s family, the conditions in Mexico would be incomprehensible; they would be much worse than they are now. I am referring to the chaos that has resulted primarily in the last eight years with President Felipe Calderón and his decision to attempt to destroy the cartels.
I have heard and read about the importance of family in the U.S. Deep South, family is important but mine is most important, thank you very much. This same attitude is present in the minds of many a mexicano. http://noelmaurer.typepad.com/aab/2012/05/divorce-in-mexico.html