In both cultures, grandparents and elders are highly respected, the father holds most of the power and is the decision maker in the household, the mother is the caretaker of the home and the children's only responsibility is to go to school and receive an education. This is the case in almost all Hispanic families because they tend to maintain traditional values. This hierarchy is also found in traditional American families. It has always been thought that "the absence of a father is destructive for children, especially boys, because it means that children will not have the economic resources, role model, discipline, structure and guidance that a father brings to them.” (Biblarz & Raftery, 1999) However, this is no longer the case. The differences between American family structures are most clearly visible when separated by socioeconomic class. Today, studies have shown that “children from single-parent families do about as well as children from two-parent families.” (Biblarz & Raftery, 1999) This encourages mothers to believe that a single mother household is always successful. The mother therefore becomes the decision-maker and guardian. This concept also applies to opposite sexes. In single-father households, the father is not only the decision-maker but also the caretaker. These family structural differences pave the way for another similarity between Hispanic and American cultures. Faith