Introduction There is no true definition in what makes the family. Constant changes happen since the society in which we live in is evolving at a constant rate. This evolvement that is taking place has changed the idea of an ideal family. Many years back family meant a married heterosexual couple with 1.5 kids. Truth is that this is not ideal for everyone. After challenging this ideal family structure it has been concluded that family forms and functions are different. Therefore this paper will address some changes in the family such as divorce, step parenting, and immigration, how these new changes play a significant role in family diversity. Change #1- Divorce Due to irreconcilable differences many couples end up getting a divorce. Divorce …show more content…
This second chances in live eventually lead to step parenting someone else’s children, or another adult parenting their children. Step parenting refers to an individual loving and caring for a child that has no biological ties with them. When a single person with kids decided to give love another changes, the other person accepts the package that the relationship may consist of. Step parenting is also a very controversial topic in which William Marsiglio explains the unspoken things in Overlooked Aspects of Step-Fathering. This article focuses on all the good and positive things that step fathers do for the children of the women they are with. It goes to explain that bonds, and attachment are form in a mutual way where these stepfathers treat and love the children as their own. Step parenting being a controversial topic, has been very hard to understand since in some cases the biological father is still in the picture. Usually one wants to look at an ideal family, before accepting the blended family that actually exists. Although the stepparents can be doing an amazing job raising the child, and being an active person in their life, all biological ties will be valued more. Step parenting being more common and acceptable in society, it is occurring more, in which broken families eventually become happy blended
In this millennial it is very common to see a divided family. People get married, discover their differences and often divorce. Yet, with divorce comes many decisions and often a messy outcome. While this may take a toll on a family, remarriage is another issue of it’s own. “Step parents” is what they call them; although no one is quit sure what the word “step” truly insinuates. The sacristy of a marriage and the bond of a family is metaphorically protected by the beamed structure of a home. It isn’t until you read “Stepdaughters” by Max Apple that you catch a glimpse of the interior complications and obstacles, divorced families often face. The author seamlessly paints the very common mother and teenage daughter tension many families endure. Yet, the story is uniquely told by “stepfather number three trying to stay on the sideline” (132). The author focuses on a few issues that a family (divorced or not) may face: overbearing control, lack of trust, and unwanted change. He does this, by use of temporal setting – the dreaded teenage years – and situation – the exhausted disagreement between the mother and daughter.
A family is a group of people consisting of the parents and their children who live together and they are blood related. The family is always perceived as the basic social units whether they are living together in the same compound or at far distance but are closely related especially by blood. Therefore, the family unit has had a great influence on the growth and the character traits possessed by the children as they grow up and how they perceive the society they live in. the family also shapes the children to be able to relate well with other people that are not part of their family and with a good relationship it impacts to the peace achieved in country. This paper addresses the reasons as to why the family is considered the most important agent of socialization. It’s evident that families have changed over time and they have adopted different ways of living. This paper also tackles on the causes of the dramatic changes to the American family and what the changes are. Different people with different race, gender and preferences make the family unit and this makes the difference in marriages. This will also be discussed in this paper.
As an immigrant and divorce mother of two who comes to a foreign country pursuing a better future for my kids, I ignored the complexity of the factors that are required to fulfill my dreams. Moving from a socialistic culture to an individualistic one, being the last one, the culture that my kids are more likely to adopt I realized the importance to build a solid family, and I started looking for possible factors that might give me a clear view on how to achieve my quest. The first factor that I found interesting was the high percentage of single-parent families, and the almost extinct long-term marriages. I come from a country where long term marriages still prevalent, for that reason this observation shocked me the most. Another observation was the high-percentage of interracial marriages in Los Angeles, where I live, and the possible connection with the low percentage of racism in this state.
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.
Families are becoming more diverse and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some people consider families to be strictly biological, while others consider people they love to be their family. Although two-parent families, also known as a nuclear family are the majority, one-parent families are becoming more common in today’s society. A sole-parent is considered to be a parent without a partner or spouse who is the primary care giver of one or more children in a household (Ministry of Social Development, 2010). From the age of 14 onward I was raised by m...
I have chosen to use an article from The Huffington Post called How Stepmoms Can Cope With ‘Biological Jealousy’. This is a meaningful article that is intended to explain the struggles that stepmoms and their stepchildren often face. It is noted that the main struggle of the relationship between a step parent and their step children is “Biological Jealousy”. Often the step parent tries to replace or become the primary Parent. The article provides solutions for increasing the moral and creating a stronger bond between children and their step parent.
For many years, children growing up in a single parent family have been viewed as different. Being raised by only one parent seems impossible to many yet over the decades it has become more prevalent. In today’s society many children have grown up to become emotionally stable and successful whether they had one or two parents to show them the rocky path that life bestows upon all human beings. The problem lies in the difference of children raised by single parents versus children raised by both a mother and a father. Does a child need both parents? Does a young boy need a father figure around? Does the government provide help for single parents? What role do step-parents and step-siblings play? With much speculation, this topic has become a very intriguing argument. What people must understand is that properly raising a child does not rely on the structure of a family but should be more focused on the process
Families experience many shifts in their lives. Some shifts are positive, but others are negative. When the shifts are negative many families cannot find a clear solution for their problems and they seek someone to blame. We will discuss the Olson’s family situation from the Family Systems Theory point of view.
In this paper, my focus will be on Racial & Ethnic Characteristics, family structure and Culture. Some of the things that I will be talking about throughout my paper will be the different things from my generation and my parent’s generation as well. The reason why having a family is a major thing is because you can always enjoy time with them and share anything that you feel like is important with them. They will always be ready to hear anything their child has to say. It is not really hard to stay with them like someone that would leave their family over a small argument because they can always get over it regardless. Family is one and your only place where your life begins and love never ends. In order to create a family, you have to work for it to make it perfect, in order to be a good example of that whole society.
Over time, the traditional structure has had to adapt to very influential changes, including divorce and the introduction of single-parent families, teenage pregnancy and unwed mothers, and same-sex marriage, and increased interest in adoption. The understanding of the history of the family is distorted by misconceptions and generalizations. Many people continue to believe that a centuries ago times were simpler and ‘The Nuclear Family’ was more stable and secure. The reality is that the American family has been restlessly evolving since the colonial times of Pre-America. “Families are more ethnically, racially, religiously and stylistically diverse than half a generation ago — than even half a year ago.
"A family is a small social group of people related by ancestry or affection, who share common values and goals, who may live together in the same dwelling, and who may participate in the bearing and raising of children. They have a physical or emotional connection with each other that is ongoing" (Vissing, 2011) and is the foundation of all societies. They can be formed by a grouping of father-mother-children or even more complicated combination of relatives. In the primary stage of family life in the United States, everyone from every generation lived together in one house. Subsequently, the idea of traditional family evolved and a married couple with children is at present, often called the traditional family. There are many types of families; however, this paper will focus on the traditional family. It will describe how the functionalist perspective, conflict perspective, and the interactionism theory apply to the sociological institution known as a family. It will explain some of the similarities and differences between the sociological theories in regards to families and how they affect the family members.
The sociological definition of the family is “a set of people related by blood, marriage or some other agreed-upon relationship, or adoption, who share the primary responsibility for reproduction and caring for members of society” (Schaeffer, 2009, p. 288). While the nuclear family (a man, a woman, and their children) was once the primary definition of family, now it refers to many familial configurations. Single-parent families, blended families, same-sex couples, traditional nuclear families and single-parents who have adopted are just a few of the configurations that society in general now views as a family. A healthy family will provide a place of unconditional love, acceptance and support.
The television sitcom Modern Family produced by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd shows the many different types of a modern American family. According to Andrew Hampp, “The show is among the most-viewed scripted programs in prime time in its second season, averaging 11 million viewers during original airings and often ranked as the most DVRed program most weeks” (2). The television show is a frequently watched show and is liked by many viewers. Modern Family's storyline helps the families of viewers by being an influential and relatable show to different types of families. The show is about the lives of three different families that are all related. In the show there are Jay and Gloria, an intergenerational couple with two sons-- Manny (from Gloria’s previous relationship) and Joe, their new baby. Jay’s adult son Cameron is married to his gay partner Mitchell, and they adopted Lily from Vietnam. Finally, Jay’s daughter Claire is married to her heterosexual partner named Phil and they have three children. The show is influential to our culture today because it shows these different types of families and addresses controversial themes such as gay adoption, the different family connections and communications, intergenerational coupling, and acceptance of diversity within an extended family. The family is easy to relate to while watching because it is based off of real family situations.
The family has been referred to as the most vital of the social institutions (Alexander, 2010). The definition of what it means to be a family has evolved over the past several generations. In technical terms, the U.S. Census Bureau defines a family as a group of two or more people residing together related by birth, marriage, or adoption. (U.S. Census, 2010). Categories of families that fit this definition include married couples with and without children, blended families, single parent, and extended family households. Same-sex and unmarried couples with and without children and individuals living alone are not included in this group, though they are a rising segment of the population. The make-up of family and household types at any given time has major consequences for society (Katz & Stern, 2007). Major systems such as economic political, legal, and other social institutions are all impacted by changes in family dynamics. This paper will explore the evolution of the family unit and examine the reciprocal link between this shift and surrounding systems. The relationship between these changes and contemporary systems theory will also be discussed.
The meaning of family varies from place to place and from culture to culture. One all-encompassing definition that describes every type of family across the board does not exist. For instance, in places like China children can be raised apart from their father and mother in a group of women, but still count themselves a family. Alan C. Acock in his book Family Diversity and Well Being states that a married couple with no children is not considered a family (122), but some married couples may contest this theory. In fact, there are more variations on modern family structure than ever before, including non-traditional families where grandparents raise their grandchildren, adoptive families, foster families, and blended families with children from two or more sets of parents (“Power Tools”). Despite the challenges faced by many families today, I believe that the children of the current generation—known as Generation Y—can thrive as long as they receive nurture and enrichment from their family members. As a member of Generation Y myself, I speak from first-hand experience. In the following paragraphs, I will give an account of my own upbringing in Nepal that led to my current status as a college student in the USA. I will also briefly describe family structures in America, and compare them to Nepali family structure. In the end, I propose that nurture is the key to producing well-adjusted children today, regardless of family type or where the children are raised.