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Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 are used to estimate a series of multinomial logit approximations determining the odds of entering a specific relationship type. Results show that biological children have a positive effect for men and women on forming marital and cohabiting unions. However, this effect is greater for men than women, especially when biological children are coresident. Coresidential fathers are significantly more likely to form a marriage, especially if the union being formed is his first, and are less likely to enter into stepparenthood. Coresidential mothers have an increased likelihood of union formation, but there is no difference in union type formed or entering into stepparenthood. Having only nonresident children increases the likelihood of union formation for both men and women, but these results are weaker compared to those for coresident children.

There continues to be controversy in the literature regarding the importance of children in marriage and family formation. Some emphasize the potential economic returns of marriage, via specialization, as a leading determinant of union formation choices. Others argue demographic changes have altered the ways individuals select romantic partners. This dissertation finds support fo r the latter. Children no longer deter union formation for parents, and often enhance it, especially among fathers. Overall, men's and women's union formation strategies differ largely because of children, and if the cohort studied proves representative of subsequent cohorts, it is likely that such complex partnering and parenting situations will continue into the future.