Obligations are actions that someone is required to take which can be either legal or moral. Having an obligation to your family is feeling as though you must do something either because of or for your family. Responsibility to ones’ family is often seen as an important aspect of the bond that a child has to their family (Wilkinson-Lee, 222). Obligations to family are not all about the parents’ obligation to their children, it is just as equally about the child’s obligation to his or her parents. In Elizabeth Strouts’ “Security” Christopher shows his obligation to his mother, Olive, as well as his wife and children. Families have certain aspects that strengthen their obligation to their one another, which evolves as children grow. As their …show more content…
Depending on a child’s obligation throughout their teenage years affects how strong their duty to helping their family or parents financially once they are older. “One study found that adolescents who endorsed strong levels of obligation during high school were more likely to actually live with and provide financial contributions to parents following graduation than those with weaker endorsements” (Fuligni, Yahirun and Pedersen 1298). This indicated that young adults’ commitment and obligation to their families helped to provide financial support as they get older.
In “Security” Olive and her son Christopher talk about his work, Chris says his practice is going well and that he sees many patients in one day. “‘I have a lot of bills to pay,’ he said. ‘And soon I’ll have even more.’ ‘I guess. Well, your father would be proud’” (226). Once a child is old enough to be able to support his or herself it makes their parents feel as though they do not need to worry about supporting them. They are making enough money to be able to support themselves and they then feel obligated to assist their parents financially once they need
The theme in working and poor class parents is that they are not as attentive to their kids as middle class parents are. However, this does not mean that they do not love their kids. It is just a different approach to development. This ties back into the major concept Lareau: concerted cultivation or natural growth. Working and poor class parents adopt a “let kids be kids” mentality and do not intervene as much. Middle class parents are very involved in their kids’ lives by enrolling them in various activities, but because of hectic schedules they to do not have a great deal of down time to spend together as a
That is not always true. It is true that that living in poverty and trying to make ends meet, and raising children at the same time can be tough, especially when you are a single working parent (Gladwell). The truth is that having money does not always make people good parents. Furthermore, Gladwell says that parents success sort of overwhelm their children. In fact, in some cases, parents have worked hard during their whole life, and become successful because they “learned the long and hard way about the value of money and the meaning of work and the joy and fulfillment that come from making your way into the world.” Sadly, that is a lesson hard to teach when having
In Mary’s household, her two sons and daughter are dependent on her. Mary is head of the household and is currently going through a divorce. Mary is close to losing her house, car, and internet services. She hires babysitters for the days/nights that she has to work. Her children know that times are tough, and continuously encourage their mother. However, her son Quinn is dealing with the divorce and poor living in
We how parents have the obligation that give the children the opportunities for they to take a good way while grow up in their life.
Journalist, Jane Howard in her argumentative essay, “ In Search of a Good Family “ emphasized the markers of a good family. Howard's purpose is to give her opinion on families, because she thinks human being should not be alone. She adopts an educated, factual and knowledgeable time in order to appeal to similar feelings and experiences towards the whole country. Howard uses many rhetorical question, metaphors , repetition, and allusions to help her pull her argument together Howard argues how essential is to have a good family. All human being need a family , clan or a tribe in order to survive in the real world. No matter where you are or what are the circumstances you are going through. You would always have somewhere or someone to fall back to.
Poverty builds insecurity. parents who don’t work and live by government services and help, their
The most compelling data that we have shows the change in our American family structure. Day there are alarming number of children with mental disorders and children being raised in single parent homes has increased. In both areas it is shown that we need more preventive care (Petersmeyer 1989). Other statistics are equally troubling: each day in the United States, 3,600 students drop out of high school, and 2,700 unwed teenage girls get pregnant (Petersmeyer 1989). As a society we have a responsibility to our youth to help them become strong adults. My grandmother was always telling me that it takes more then the immediate family to raise a child well, if a child is to be rear well it takes a whole community contribution.
It has become increasingly more difficult to live on an income, especially with children. With both parents working, new issues arise within the family such as affording daycare, afterschool services, and a lack of quality family time.... ... middle of paper ... ...
The author defined "owe" as a form of obligation that is to be fulfilled unwillingly. In support of her argument she presented the case of friendship. When two people are friends they help each other, but they are not obliged to make their share of sacrifices. She stated that the term "owe" undermines the role of mutuality. "Owe" represents obligations that must be fulfilled irrespective of the person's emotions. Thus, the term "owe" should not be used to refer to a child's duties towards his/her parents.
The text depicts a historical perspective on Middle Childhood, as during the twentieth century, children were viewed primarily as an economic source of income, in terms of providing for the family. According to the text this happens often in European counties and in parts of the United States. Elizabeth D. Hutchinson, Dimensions of Human Behavior The Changing Life Course 3rd, 2008. In this short review we will look at how this historical perspective in itself is not a question to how, but when these individual give.
Not only are there personal issues, there are social issues as well. For example, adolescent mothers are less likely to receive child support from biological fathers, less likely to work, and less likely to be able to provide for themselves and children without outside assistance (Coard, 2000). It is well documented that teenage mothers do not acquire as much education as teens who delay childbearing, therefore they are less likely to find stable employment and more likely to rely on public assistance, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty. In fact one half of teen mothers go on welfare within a year and 77% within five years of the birth of a child (Corcoran, 1999). While teenagers make up less than 8% of the welfare caseload, 43% of long-term recipients gave birth for the first time when they were 17 years old or younger (Harris, 1998). As of Spring 1999 the estimated cost of society subsidizing these births is 20 billion dollars (Kellogg, 1999).
I go out of my way to make it seem natural that I’m raising her son while she’s at the manicurist. All the little stories I tell and the ‘Sure, I’d be happy to’ make her feel like I live there. And then she forgets that I’m doing a job…” (page 124). Nanny feels like she doesn’t even care about her or what she is doing. Nanny feels trap and stuck on a constant routine every day because Mrs. X can’t be there for her son half of the time, so Nanny has to be there for him. Nanny can’t do certain things because of the economy. The economy is very stable during this time period which, the wealthy people get richer and tend to spend more money on stupid expensive stuff they don’t need but crave for it. While the poor people get poorer or seem like they are begging rich people for money, which, isn’t the case. Mrs. X treats Nanny as if she is the bottom of the “food chain” and Mrs. X and the wealthy people see themselves as if they are at the top of the “food chain”. They act like they are better than everybody else. Even in 21st century, people are still treated like second class citizens by the
There are many types of family that exists in today’s society, each important to the upbringing of any children of which may be apart of it.
Due to parents having to take on 2-3 part-time jobs or low wage jobs, parents are required to deal with long hours, unusual hours, lack of benefits that cover paid sick days, paid medical, parental leave, and vacation time. This prevents parents from participating in their children’s development. (Spross, Jeff. "Low-Wage Jobs Don’t Just Harm Workers — They Harm Their Children." ThinkProgress RSS. 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.) Parents are not home to look after their children. When parents are home, it is for a short period that allows parents to feed the children, bath them and put them to bed. Parents have to choose their family time or making income and income is priority to try and provide the necessary needs like a home, electric, and food. This struggle between income and family has put tremendous stress on parents which lead to a higher level of depression which affects the whole family. Some young adult children are forced into the work force before they graduate to help the family. If these young adults are one of the fortunate ones that don’t need to join the workforce, they are still faced with taking on an adult role due to having to play mommy or daddy to their younger siblings. Having this kind of responsibility at such a young age causes some of these young adults to fall into a depression or stressed out with all the responsibility that they start rebelling authority or looking for
In America, the society runs on what teenagers want. From Nicki Minaj to the junior section at Sears, most of what the people see, hear, or touch is aimed at the teenagers. Being an adolescent is probably the most exciting and most popular time period in a person’s life. The teens seem to have it all, but what about the parents who raise them? The parents of the teenagers never get any credit during this time period, although they have every right to. Parents and teenagers should strive for a strong, lasting relationship for these years, though most times there isn’t one. The relationship between teenagers and parents is the most vital bond in the family because this relationship should and will prepare them for the next step in life.