Family : A Different Definition Than An Adult Essay

The common characteristics defined by Lamanna and Reidmann for family are ancestry, marriage and or adoption.  They give a list of three characteristics along with which people are usually related.. (1.) from an economic unit and care for any young.  (2.) consider their identity to be significantly attached to the group, and (3.) to commit to maintaining that group over time.  Yes, for many reasons I would definitely consider my family to fit these three categories of of the common characteristics.  My family is a support unit on which I can heavily rely on and we all have each others best interest at heart and will do anything to help one another.  I wish it was better defined and more in detail because I find the three characteristics to be very vague but I would add that family is also some kind of support group on which you are emotionally attached to and heavily rely on to make important choices.. well, in most cases.

Growing up in a big family can be tough some days, although I would not have it any other way. My mom has four siblings and my dad has five, blessing me with over twenty first cousins and an extended family that is too large to count. I was also fortunate enough to have both sets of grandparents and several great grandparents as an active part of my life. I am the youngest of three kids, having an older brother and an older sister. Being the baby of the family growing up I did not get in much trouble for I had two older siblings to blame my mistakes on. Some people define family as, “any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins” (dictionary.com), while I define it as those

A family is a group of people that are interlinked through blood, the law (marriage), co-residence or share the same resources. They are further described as adults of the same sex with children. Through

A family is the single most influential factor in the life of an individual. Being in a family brings with it support, relationships, connections, and love that is rarely found anywhere else in a person’s life. However, families are not all the same. Each individual family structure is unique when compared to the next. When looked at from a general perspective there are two main groups of which families fall into.

Secondly, for those who come from a single-parent family, family means, “a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for”. Typically, when someone thinks of family, they think Mom, Dad, brother, and or sister. Everyone has a different definition of family. An example being a family may mean always sticking together or never leaving anyone behind. Growing up, family was always a group of individuals who loved, cared, and supported you, whether they were blood related or not.

Defining family is a complex topic and so is the role of a family. I wasn't in class in the very first week when the topic of family was discussed extensively but, reading the textbook and having some prior knowledge on family academically, I believe I can reflect on the topic family comprehensively. Before thinking about what family is to us or to the world in general, we already know what kind of different families that are around and the three most popular are, nuclear family- a mother, the father and the kid/kids, single parent family- a parent and the kid or kids and also extended family which comprises of nuclear family but with addition of other outside family members. That being said, we also have other kind of families which can sometimes not be held in the same status as these big three like, Other (bi nuclear; cohabitators; gay couples) adoptive family- not your biological family, and step families-comprises of a biological parent and siblings maybe.

To me, a family has many forms. Some only consider family those related biologically, but I believe family means for than just biological connection. Family may be through marriage, adoption, friends, or pets that make impact ones life. The texts definition supports my view of a family. Family is defined as, “those persons who are biologically and/or psychologically related, are connected by historical, emotional, economic bonds, and perceive themselves as part of a household”(Gladding, 2015, p.30).

Determining family structure and dynamics as well as defining the family is a complex process. Personally, I come from a very traditional family. Much like the assumptions made by the students in the article Defining Family: Young Adults’ Perceptions of the Parent-Child Bond by Mellisa Holtzman (2008). This is what comes to mind when most people define family; a nuclear family, with married parents, and biological children. However, a family is a complex system and can take on many different forms.

I think society’s definition of a family is greatly being challenged and redefined. I think the “traditional” definition of a family is a mother, father, and their children, but as mentioned before society’s new definition is now a lot broader than that. Ideally, I would say a family follows the traditional method, not because that’s the “norm,” but because I believe that is the best environment for a child to grow up in, being influenced and taught by both a mother and a father figure. I’m also aware that this is becoming more of an anomaly. I think the traditional definition is often reinforced by the media through movies and TV shows so that is why it is often viewed as the standard, but again that is beginning to change. On example,

My family is only restricted to my mother, friends, and professors. These people have influenced my life in so many ways possible that words can never describe. For instance, I have a father, brother, and sister who are still alive and breathing. But why do I not consider them my family? Although we share similar physical characteristics and genetics, our values and morals do not blend or interchange. Both my siblings and father have caused a lot of dilemmas and problems within the family such as excessive gambling and drinking. One problem that still exists, deals with the sixty thousand dollar robbery committed by someone who I no longer refer to as my sister, but as a criminal. She stole my mother’s money to do who knows what and till this day is still unresponsive and denies of the? theft when all evidence points to her. Family does not steal and lie from its members. Betrayal and dishonesty are qualities that do not belong in a family. Family is dependable and protects against the inhumanity within all people. Protection becomes susceptible to failure when an act of disloyalty starts from within. Although many people define a family by blood relations, an authentic family is one that does not inflict permanent pain and damage amongst its members. Acknowledging that a true family has problems, there also must be limits and boundaries. At the end of the day, family lives

The definition of family must be broadened and specified, it is more than just a simple collection of people. It must be changed to fulfil those in life who are dissatisfied with their family, those who lack a family, and those who merely wish to expand their family. No matter who you are, every human being needs and deserves a family, throughout their life and as they pass on to the next. The family that you create during your lifetime will be the

The Difficulties in Defining the Family The Oxford Dictionary gives the meaning of 'family' as 'parents and their children, sometimes including grandchildren and other relations'. Murdock's definition of the family is: 'The family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one of more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults.'

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, family means “a group of people who are related to each other.” Although this definition is accurate, I feel family means so much more. Everyone has a different interpretation of what family means to them. For instance, my mother believes that family means, “A support system that is always there for you” (Burke). Another definition comes from my math teacher, she believes family means, “Having a bond with other people that you know can’t be broken” (Barrett). My friend thinks that family means, “people who will always love you even if you make mistakes, and they are people that will try their best to keep you happy and safe” (Williams). I think family means people who will be there for you

There are many different definitions about what the family is. Different theoretical positions influence these variations. For example, the functionalist sociologist George Peter Murdock defines the family as “a social group characterized by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain

A family can be defined in many ways, but the common denominator in all is the love and fulfillment one gets by being surrounded by family members. Families can sometimes be at odds with each other, but the strain of this type of relationship usually creates an upsetting feeling to the people involved. People want others to rely on, talk to, do things with, share, love, embrace, and be part of. No matter what the family dynamic is the qualities the word family has will remain the same, as time goes by, and life evolves once again for every person living their