Family Definition Essay

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

Everywhere around the world, in every different culture, people are grouped into families. The word family can be defined as a group of people bound together over time, because of mutual consent, birth and or adoptions/ placement or simply people who consume responsibilities for one other.

Family. A word that has about as many meanings as there are stars in the sky. Can family truly be defined, or is it merely interpretive? According to Seccombe, family is a relationship by blood, marriage, or affection, in which members may cooperate economically, may care for children, and may consider their identity to be intimately connected to the larger group (Seccombe 4). Although I do agree with the above explanation of family, I believe that it is inadequate in that it only supplies a framework of family rather than the duties and purpose. To me, family is a unit of individuals, related or not, that symbolize and exude comfort, solace, and support through all the trials and triumphs life throws our way.

I define family by a group of people that communicate on regular basic, care for each other, and love each other unconditionally. I think that I was able to construct that definition when I realized that my “relatives” weren’t related to me at all. And then realized I talk to the people who I was related to all more than the people who were considered “blood”. I’ve never been to a family house where I have considered them perfect, every family has their personal issues as well as their own strength.

The Dictionary definition of family is “A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.” My definition of family is people with an unconditional love for each other. My family and I have always been very close. For example, we share all of our secrets with each other. Since I can remember, my family and I have always went on a family beach trip to Panama City Beach. We stay at the Shores of Panama, a very nice resort, and the people who own it expect us every year. We always take our beach trip in early September. The reason they decided on September is because it is the beginning of fall which means it will be warm instead of hot. I look forward to going to the beach with my family every year because it is relaxing, fun, and all about family time which I love.

In my opinion, family, and the relationship between different family members, is messy and confusing, but beautiful nonetheless. Family, in my opinion, is a complex web of interconnectedness, and mutual love. My personal definition of family, is those who are there for you in your hour of need. I have been very blessed to have an amazing support system, who is there to love and support me through life’s challenges. However, my opinion on family is constantly changing, as I grow and learn, about the individuals around me, and family history that has come to light. To clarify, as I have grown older, I have started to become more aware of family struggles, and have become privy to conversations on family, that at a young age, I was not. Family history, and struggles are very hard to hear and learn about, and are at times, too difficult to explain on a piece of paper. However, it is incredibly important to acknowledge the past, in order to understand your family’s future.

For me and most of my classmate, family can be people whom we are related to most times by blood and are present in our lives and supports us. I know this definition is not only flawed but dismissive and cliche because that definition only represent some certain kind of family and not all of them. Google and co might give us a concrete definition of a family but in actuality that definition is flawed because, there isn't any one way to define family but rather the definition of family is drawn by what is not only happening to us but around us and most importantly the advancement of the community/society we live

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.

does not necessarily mean one needs to be blood related to be considered as family. Anything can be

The word “family” is unique, special, and controversial among different cultures and ethnicities. As defined by Random House Western Dictionary, a family is “any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins” (Dictionary.com). Although the definition from Random House follows the infamous proverb of, “blood is thicker than water,” my definition of family does not. Family is not defined or restricted by blood relations. In my mind, a family is simply a group of people, who loves, supports, and helps each other unconditionally, and endlessly. Regardless of one’s sexual orientation or preference, all families embody these common principles. Thus, a family unites its members through the strong

The definition of family to society is; all the descendants of a common ancestor, however that definition is wrong in my opinion. Family means a special bond or connection between a person. You can be yourself and can trust them with all your heart and soul and never challenge or question their loyalty.

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

For most of us, the family is considered as a well-known and comfortable institution. The perfect model of the ‘ideal’ family is still mostly considered to be consisted from two different sexes’ parents, and one or more children. Until quite recently, the sociology of the family was mostly functionalist and just in the last few decades has been challenged from various directions.

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

According to Swartz and Scott (2009), family is defined as a group of people related to each other by blood, marriage, adoption or being sexually open in a relationship. The