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American family concept
American family dynamic
American family dynamic
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A question that could spark quite a debate could be “what makes an American family.” Some may debate that the traditional family is the only type of American family, some may debate that the meaning of an American family has changed and still continues to change over the years. The debate tends to spark when everyone gets into the topic because everyone has different opinions. But a good question in today’s society is what exactly makes an American family? Is the only type of American family still the traditional type or has the meaning of the American family transformed over the years. In my opinion it does not matter what form the family may come in, just as long as there is the most important thing that can be in a family which is love. I never thought of it before, that such a simple question could have so many diverse answers. Some of the many answers to what makes an American family could be: the traditional, step, separated, same sex, adopted, surrogate, no kids, not married, single parent, and the list can continue on. The traditional family also commonly known as a nuclear family use to be the normal. The nuclear family use to be the most common type of family. The traditional family use to consist of a married husband and wife with their two children and the family pet. The type of family where the father use to go to work and be the breadwinner of the family. The mother was a stay at home mother that would always be dressed up, with her hair and make up done and would wear heals and jewelry daily. Also with that type of mother she would be doing cooking and housework, even in the heals, so that when the family got home there would be a home made meal and a clean house. There were also two children usually a boy and a g... ... middle of paper ... ...mes people call their pets their children or their babies. When the question what makes n American family is asked it can spark quite a debate because there are so many different opinions and such diverse answers on such a simple question. No matter what form that family may be in all that matters is that there is the most important thing that can be found in a family which is love. At the end of the day all that matters is when a individual goes home there is somebody there for that person that loves them. It does not matter if it was the traditional, same sex, non married, single parent families and all the other types of families, all that matters is that there is love for each other in the family and that what makes an American family. Works Cited Angier, Natalie. “The Changing American Family.” New York Times. New York Times. 25 Nov 2013. Thu. 16 Jan 2014.
Family, the word itself brings images of love, comfort, and peace in mind. The foundation of the family is based on structure, care, and dependence. It is a combination of individuals striving to understand and love one another unconditionally. Sharing the same blood is no longer a requirement to be considered a family. In fact, the definition of family is evolving like never before. With most marriages ending in divorce, the majority of children will be reared in "nontraditional" families ( single parent, step-parent, etc.). It seems that now the only thing you need in order to be a functional family is love and trust, which can be found anywhere from a close friend to a pet.
Lasch-Quinn, Elisabeth. "Family." Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History. Ed. Mary Kupiec Cayton and Peter W. Williams. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 6 Mar. 2014.
Families.” University of Delaware – Human Development and Family Studies. N.p., 2008. 1-36. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.
-----. The Making of Americans: Being a History of a Family's Progress. Normal: Dalkey Archive Press, 1995.
...sex relationships, or adults to children. People of any race, sex, or age that can offer unconditional love, strength, morals, values, and respect to others are more qualified to be called "normal" or having a "family" than any two people that are married, with or without children, that are not offering to others what is needed to become a real, normal, family. Families can be single moms, single dads, same sex parents, or even other relatives. What is important and what makes people have the most rewarding families are the qualities of their relationships. This type of family is the family that will stay together and function happily in our society.
Traditional family in today’s society is rather a fantasy, a fairy tale without the happy ending. Everyone belongs to a family, but the ideology that the family is built around is the tell tale. Family structures have undeniably changed, moving away from the conventional family model. Nowadays more mothers work outside of the home, more fathers are asked to help with housework, and more women are choosing to have children solo. Today there are families that have a mom and a dad living in the same home, there are step-families, and families that have just a mother or just a father. Probably the most scrutinized could be families that consist of two moms or two dads. These are all examples of families and if all members are appropriately happy and healthy then these families are okay and should incontestably be accepted. So why is the fantasy of the traditional family model still so emphasized in our society? This expectation is degrading and misleading. Progressing with times one ought not be criticized or shunned for being true to their beliefs. It is those living falsely, living as society thinks they should that are the problem. Perhaps as a society, if there were more focus and concern for happiness and peace within ones family and fewer worries for the neighbor then there would be less dilemma.
One of the biggest changes in American families has been divorce and the single-parent families. In the article “What is a Family?”, Pauline Irit Erera argues that after World War 11, is when the major changes in families begun. Women were already accustomed to having jobs and working while their men were away during the war, and when the men all came back is when things started to change. Erera says, “The movement for gender equality led to increased employment opportunities for women, while at the same time declining wage rates for unskilled male workers made them less desirable marriage partners.” (Ere...
As we have learned through Skolnick’s book, as well as Rubin’s research, the make up of the family is influenced by many factors. The economy, culture, education, ethnicity/race, and tradition all help to create the modern family. The last few decades have heavily influenced the family structure, and while some try to preserve the past, others embrace the future. Through it all, we find you can have both.
American families are becoming more diverse every day. The merging ethnic diversity in our country is becoming more apparent daily as we see different people of different cultures becoming involved with each other. America is a melting pot. The influx of immigrants and with their varied cultural backgrounds was essential in molding America’s identity. The United States became a refuge for all those suffering persecution for political or personal beliefs. America has become a shelter for a wide variety of faiths and beliefs.
Wetzel, JR. N.p.: n.p., n.d. American Families: 75 Years of Change. 1990. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.
The American family model traditionally included the mother and father with two kids, a boy and girl. In this 1950’s family model the husband is seen as the breadwinner while the mother is the homemaker. This model is exemplified in the Battleship advertisement where the father is resting from a hard day’s by work playing a board game with his son. At the same time the mother is doing the days dishes with some help drying from her daughter. Today however, these rigid stereotypical roles are no longer applicable to the members of the modern family. With increases in divorce rates and teen pregnancy combined with the shift in economic roles of the majority of families, the traditional nuclear family is a minority (Wetzel, 1990). The JCPenny
The American family has come a long way and has changed a lot overtime. Liberals and conservatives have their own views on the American family today. It is very tough to raise a family nowadays. However, there are some easier ways to raise a family today as well. Some of the things that I will talk about are divorce and its effects, welfare, abusiveness on children and wives, and a couple of articles in the book, "Families in the U.S."
The idea of an ideal American family seems ridiculous today. Two hundred years ago many Americans may not have thought twice about the idea that there was a correct form that a family should follow. In the 19th century our country was young and was one of a few to have to come up with its own national identity in such a short period of time. In hindsight and with a bit of anachronism one could say that America dealt with its immigrant population with a great deal of hypocrisy. Instead of being a haven for immigrants America was almost a factory, attempting to take in different people and create a melting pot in which everything becomes alike. Every ingredient eventually loses its uniqueness.
It is within these new dimensions of family variations and choice as a basis of kinship that I think the legalization of same sex marriage.
Families play an important role in shaping individuals and through them it also shapes the whole society. But what does the term traditional family mean and who decides what constitutes a traditional family? According to Merriam-Webster (2011), the definition of a nuclear or traditional family means “a family group that consists only of father, mother, and children”.