Some family transitions have been reshaped by demographic changes in recent years. Changes in mortality patterns have expanded the duration of individual lives and family relationships. The death of a child, once an expectable part of life, is now so rare that it constitutes a major life crisis. Facing the death of one's parents, still a normal part of the human experience, is now a transition faced relatively late in life. Increased life expectancy and new rhythms in the family cycle have also altered the nature of grandparenthood in our society. Marital disruption and remarriage may be more prevalent throughout adulthood in the future. Divorce and remarriage are not only transitions for couples, but also countertransitions for the couple's parents and children. All of these changes may result in greater importance of the mother-daughter link in the creation and maintenance of family cohesion and continuity. In both demographic analyses and in the study of life patterns, researchers need to use family lineages as units of study. Research is needed on combinations of transition patterns and life changes in family units. (NRB)