Family Reflection

In today’s world, families are dynamic and interdependent systems. The developmental processes of the children in the family are deeply affected by how the family system operates. However, a family’s structure does not determine whether it is a healthy family system or not. Today, families consist of single parents, stepparents, divorced parents, remarried parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They are all able to contribute to a healthy functioning family system by meeting each family member’s needs and encouraging positive communication (Jamiolkowski, 2008). Unhealthy family systems have negative and possibly

Enrolling in a class formulated around families and their dynamics within Canadian society, initially seemed as though it would be quite monotone. The prior knowledge I held, led myself to believe there was not much more one could learn about such an area; families are diverse and all strive off of one another to survive in their home and surrounding environments. Throughout this short term my thoughts have altered in understanding the complexity and diversity within families. Every individual is part of a family yet, whom one considers “family” can arise from many areas: full sibling, step sibling, adopted, close friend, foster child amongst other areas which many will speak to under their own terms. Every family has faced challenges

The vast majority of individuals have acquired their own unique and ornate proposals surrounding what the social structure of a family is. Yet, whilst each individual in a given society has experienced family life in a multitude of ways, we as people cannot fathom how our experiences have come to be, without obtaining a broad understanding of how our personal relationships built within social structures integrate into a more prodigious social context. Present day Americans endure a society that is a composite of a multitude of family types (e.g. nuclear two-parent, extended, stepfamilies, multigenerational, family of orientation and procreation, the economic unit, cohabitors, single-parent, childless, same-sex, and so forth). Aside from singular

Prior to enrolling in American Families at The University of Mount Union, I had a predisposition to what I perceived a perfect family looked like. I envisioned a nuclear family with parents who are madly in love and children who thrive from tremendous emotional support. After weeks of studying the topic of American families more in depth in and outside of the classroom, my perception has changed. I have learned the important concept that every family is a unique, diverse unit. The service-learning project provided me with the opportunity to apply many topics discussed in class, such as family structure, communication patterns, and the Symbolic Interaction Theory to a real American family.

Every family is different and the same in their own way. Everyone functions with different roles and plays a part in how it functions on the day to day. While some people don’t put much thought into it, Dr. Murray Bowen has. ‘Dr. Murray Bowen suggests that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as part of their family.’ (GenoPro) Eight concepts are

The genogram provided a visual aid for information, allowing it to be shared and monitored. In synchrony with developments in systemic family therapy such as attention on the process and not just the content of family interactions, the use of genograms broadened according to McGoldrick, et all {2008} a focus on not just generational systems but the systems of various dissimilar/similar characteristics of families such as rules, beliefs, role, structure and secrets.

The children in this family unit comply willingly with the rules, communicate well with one another, and show respect and cooperation in performing daily routines. There is a high degree of structure and orderliness in every aspect of this household. Education and hard work are highly valued and each family member strives to succeed in whatever endeavor they pursue whether it be sports or running for class President. Group identification is valued over individuality. Religion is not practiced. The family unit as a whole seems satisfied with their respective roles.

Many of us overlook the importance of something as simple as “family” because it has been something we are familiar with since our first day on this planet, never thinking twice about to topic. Truth be told, the family unit is crucial to who we are and what we value, and even in the bigger picture, the cultural importance it has on society. When we explore one of the most signature family units to date, the nuclear family, we learn its optimistic appeal, its modern elusiveness, and the professional and personal opinions surrounding it.

Participating in the Putting Families First course allowed my training in patient assessment, patient care, interdisciplinary teamwork, and problem solving to be put to practice. I believe my team had a very successful outcome with this course, and I learned many lessons I will continue to apply and develop throughout my professional training. In particular, our team successfully employed the teamwork skills of team leadership, close-looped communication, adaptability, shared mental model, and mutual trust. Upon our first time meeting as a team, we immediately established communication via a messaging app. In addition to this, we reviewed the syllabus and requirements for this course before the first home visit to ensure we understood the expectations

The discussion of how society has shaped or altered the daily life of families across the globe has been going on for centuries. Some studies blame advancing technology, the industrializing of American society, differing forms of economic systems, or shifting from a religious to a more secular modern society for the loss of a strong emotional bond between family members--but whatever the explanation, the western world family unit is no longer the heartwarming entity of yesteryears. Analytically studying the daily life of each era and comparing the differences give a good depiction of what parts from each combine to form the best family for tomorrow. The key to a better family for tomorrow is to use the beneficial pieces of the past, such as

“10 Things a Single Parent Wants You to Know” is an article in Reader’s Digest by Jen Babakhan. This begins by saying that just because you have a spouse that works a lot does not mean you are a single parent. One significant difference is that single parents provide all the income and attention in the household. Next the article discusses that while parenting alone has it’s challenges it’s also very rewarding. I relate this article back to the chapter and class discussions on different family structures and socioeconomic factors.

Single parent households are a sensitive topic that is highly debated today. This topic is one that has repercussions for both the parents and the children involved. However, regardless of the different consequences, these households continue to grow in the coming years. “In 1970, traditional two-parent married households dominated, making up 81 % of all households in the United States (US). By 2012 this number dropped to around 66 % … In 2012, approximately 21 million children, or 28 % of all children in the US, lived with one parent” (Kramer, 2015). It is interesting to look at the way the single parent households continue to grow throughout the years, all while being a hot topic for discussion on its consequences. When thinking about a book to read for this course, there was no real choice. I stumbled upon this book and knew right away that I could benefit from this book, as well as connect to it on a deeper level and relate to it personally.

Before this class I never put thought about my family goals because I believed it was not important at this point in my life. However, during the class after discussions and reading Meg Jay’s book especially, I started to understand the importance of work-life balance. Meg Jay’s advice and the story she shared about Emma really resonated with me. Meg Jay stated that, “the foregrounding of the individual in relationships has caused us to forget about one of our

On Saturday October 28th, 2017 the St.Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church of Washington D.C. hosted their yearly “Family Night” event. This event was created by the members of the church in order to spread awareness of the talent and overall culture of our community. Although there was a slight delay for the event, the performances throughout was very entertaining and informative. It ranged from dances, songs, to speeches and minor lectures about growing issues in our society today. It started off with many of the youth showing off their talent mainly through art forms such as singing and dancing to cultural and religious songs. I myself assisted with the emcees of the night and partook in the event by acting as Jesus for a skit and submitting a short film alongside friends that underscored the situation of how a Grandmother from India would interpret the lifestyle in America. The special talent of all our youth closed with a young boy performing his magic act that wow’d the crowd. After the acts, the remainder of Family Night included a series of speeches and lectures from our Priest to other older youth members that discussed growing issues in the world and how we can act to resolve these issues.

”No one is ever born into Life alone. Everyone has shared the bond of family, at least at birth, and for many people it is a bond that will follow them throughout life. For many people it is the most important bond of all.”