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What is the influence of family in your development as an individual
Changes in family structure in our society
Changes in family structures in society
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I believe that everything a person experiences should be used in future tasks to help make good decisions. Weather a person knows it or not, our minds often remember good, or especially bad, experiences and use them with regards to the rewards or consequences they produced. For example, a funeral is always a bad experience; however throughout the years we learn how to approach them. A recent death in my family, made me realize, that today family values are less important to some people, then they were when generations older then my own were growing up and what inside the household has changed as far as a traditional family is concerned. I also realized that family values are not only a private issue within each person home, but the government has approached the problem as well in debates and so forth. More over, family values are more then often referred to as the "politics of family" rather then family morals or values (Skolnick). My great Uncle Eddie was very close to me. Everyone has an aunt or an uncle that spoils them, sneaks them treats, or takes them out for a special day. For me, that person was my Uncle Eddie. About a month ago, after several weeks of being gravely ill, he passed away. Although most of my family was expecting it, I had disregarded any possibility that he could actually pass away. For the first time I was really relying on my family, especially my brother, to make me feel better. I am always so positive that my family is going to protect me, therefore I often overlook there guidance. However, this time I was actually looking for it. This experience made me think, are family values as important to modern day Americans, as were to old school Americans? When my grandparents talk about there childhood they speak mostly of each other, and what they did as a family, everyone seemed so tight-knit. When I think of my childhood, or mostly my teenage years I think about my friends and where I was going out, so how has it changed, or more importantly what are the problems, if the values have changed? My Losing Season by Pat Conroy is about a boy that grew up with a military father as he tried to become the best basketball player he could be. This of course, is a slight bit different then many other families.
When you think about family, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you only thought about your parents or close relatives, then you may have been caught in an “individual vs. family” paradox. Nearly every culture considers family important, but “many Americans have never even met all of their cousins” (Holmes & Holmes, 2002, p. 19). We say we are family oriented, but not caring to meet all of our extended family seems to contradict that. Individual freedoms, accomplishments, and goals are all American ideals that push the idea of individualism.
Family, defined by the Online Merriam Webster Dictionary is, “a group of related people including people who lived in the past.” I believed that the wording of this definition is important because of the word related. The Online Merriam Webster Dictionary defines related as “belonging to the same group because of shared characteristics, qualities, etc.” This goes to show that a family does not have to be lineage, heritage, or chromosomes. There are many different types of families, and though many people think of a nuclear family when they think of a family, there are so many more qualities to consider when deciding how to personally define family.
The values that I learned from my parents as an infant, child, adolescent, and, most recently, as an adult, are continually enforced and taught to me today. It is because of this strong family support that I have stayed the same as I was before entering college. My family has always preached strong family values that will be with me for the rest of my life, and will be passed on to my children and grandchildren. Some of the family values that I have learned from my family are to always respect my elders and to have good manners no matter what.
I interviewed Rita Wright from Northwest Georgia Housing Authority. She is in charge of resident services. She is an African American with a predominately African American clientele; therefore I knew I would be able to obtain much information from her viewpoint. When I asked Ms. Wright to talk about her key values and characteristics common in her culture she talked extensively about family. Family is a major part of her life. She stated that she is like most African Americans in which family values are extremely important. There are several people in her life who have earned the title of aunt, sister or cousin who are not blood related. These are individuals who have always been there for her and her family, so they too are considered just like family. Most African American families are embedded in complex kinship networks of blood and nonrelated individuals (Diller, 2011). To Ms. Wright there is nothing more precious than family. If family wrongs you, you forgive and forget. If family needs help, you must be there for them. In the end family is all we have.
years the American family and its values have been one of the top priorities of
“What ever happened to predictability, the milkman, the paperboy, evening TV?”, words from the famous family-focused television sitcom, Full House. In the 1990s, America had a great emphasis on family values, morals, and the family unit as a whole. Nearly twenty years has passed since the hit show, Full House had its season finale and quite a bit has changed in regards to family. It is believed that the twentieth century has seen the maximum disturbance in history of family adaptation (Georgas). From day one, America has been a melting pot of cultures-all influencing family values. Mixed cultures make for even more interesting and unique traditions. There is a clear threat to traditional family values that continues to spread throughout
To me, family is the most important thing in my life. They always encourage me to be the best I can be and nothing more. A quote that I think describes family to me is one by Alex Haley that states, “In every conceivable manner, the family is the link to our past, and bridge to our future.” Through the stories I hear from my mother and grandmother, I have a clear link to my families past and the generation of women that led to me. All the values these women held close to them throughout the years have led to the formation of myself and my values. Over the past three generations, the women in my family have overcome oppression. My mother, growing up in a time where women could never have aspirations to be CEO’s or politicians, somehow came out stronger. She saw what she didn’t want for her future, and jumped at the chance to start a new life in America. No single model of family life characterizes the American family, despite ideological beliefs to the contrary (Andersen). My family couldn’t be labeled an “Italian family” or an “American family.” We are a mix of the two cultures and ideologies, which is what makes us different. I am the first women in my mother’s family to be born and raised in America. My great grandmother had a complete different childhood and adolescence experience than I yet we still have a common cultural base. All her ideals were passed onto my grandmother, than all the down to me, a hundred years in the making to become who I am
Nothing is a better experience for a parent than watching their child grow into who they were taught to be. It turns out that 66% of parents intend to and do raise their children with the same life lessons, good or bad, that they were exposed to when they were young (Murray). Raising a family requires values, which evolve into ethics, and are crucial to a successful family. This shows that values are what keep the family in their desired lifestyle. Diversity of values in American families, through morals and tradition, is key to what makes this country so unique.
When the word “family” is discussed, most people think of mothers, fathers, and other siblings. Some people think of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins and more on the pedigree tree. Without family in people's lives, they would not be the same people that they grew up to be today and in the future. When people hear the word family they think about, the ones who will help them in any way they can whether it’s money, support, advice, or anything to help them succeed in life. Family will forever be the backbone of support.
One of the most important and essential things that everyone must have in order to live a great and joyful life is family. One must follow values to be successful in life, and one must also support their family to keep that success advancing toward the future. In David W. McCurdy’s article, “Family and Kinship in Village India,” it discusses the significance of how a successful family is formed by tradition, preparation, and patience. The article describes how kinship has the power to arrange marriages successfully, make families unite and assist each other, and teach and help one another agriculturally or economically.
The definitions of a family today and a family in the past are far from similar. The definitions may have some similarities but they have changed dramatically in many more ways. 50 years ago, families had rules that were stricter and families were closer in the sense of a relationship. Although some families today are more distant from each other and have fewer rules to maintain order, there are still some that maintain the same styles of the families 50 years ago. Families have changed a lot but still have some similarities depending on their home-life.
Family is a value that my father taught me. He told me that family is
Everyone seems to define family differently, however, the significance of family is the same. For you, family means everything. You can always count on your parents and siblings for help and love. Family is very valuable and important to you and should never be taken for granted. No one can deny that family is the foundation of our generation. A family is where we all start our life journey and helps us grow to be successful throughout our lives.
According to the Caregiver Action Network, an estimated 65 million Americans currently serve as caregivers for loved ones who are aging or disabled. This number is likely even higher, but many individuals decline to call themselves caregivers. For many, taking care of family in their time of need is the right and necessary thing to do. Whether they use the title or not, proving care for a loved one is no small task. In order to ensure the best quality of life for both caregiver and care recipient, it is necessary to understand what caregiving entails and the impact it has on day-to-day life.
The social institution that interests me the most would be family. Family is a core institution in all societies (Gowland). This institution provides the first and most immediate context for our physical, emotional, and social development. Family life influences people in deep ways; it is often difficult to exaggerate it 's importance. My family life, both as a child and as an adult has greatly impacted my life and has helped shape my identity.