It just an example of how the dollar has crashed in value. Pennies are going to be eliminated soon, or should be. You cannot buy anything for a penny anymore.
Families are getting back together, just to survive. Maybe it's a good thing.
Just to survive? The people I see "surviving" around me drive $40K SUVs and live in $500K houses. And I live in a blue-collar area in Vegas!
Things are not as dire as you claim. The fact is, kids want too much too soon. I'm in my low-30s, and I just started making a "good living." Before that, though, I always made enough to survive (and to support my wife and 3 kids). We drove old cars and we still live in a small house. But we did it on our own, and we now have the financial discipline to survive many ups and downs.