My Family Essay

In 1974, my mother, and her lower class family, emigrated from Canada to New City, New York. They moved frequently back and forth between various American and Canadian cities due to my grandfather’s lack of finding long-term employment; he has a book filled with pages upon pages of business cards and papers recording his numerous previous employers. Eventually, my grandfather found a steady job in print, working for the New York Times in 1985, my grandmother opened her own bookstore for a brief period in time, and my mother and her siblings all attended and graduated from four-year colleges. The entire family continues to retain sole Canadian citizenship. As improved a life they have been provided, not all immigration stories have such a happy ending. Most immigrant families coming from south of the United States border, in the same financial situation as my mother and her family had been, will not have such luck. They are stuck in a paradox of stereotypes, between being perceived by the suburban white family as “lazy” or “taking all of our jobs.” Why is it that we turn a blind eye to our neighbors to the north, as if they collectively live up to the stereotype of unfaltering niceness? Though much has been said about these immigrants coming to the United States from Latin America, very little attention is being paid to the immigrants coming from Canada and Western Europe due to prejudice.

As I endured the prospect of creating a genogram, I allowed myself to reflect and interpret the history and impacts that affected my family. During my review of my genogram, I was able to consider my family within a multigenerational, diverse, and socio-political context. By creating a genogram, a dialogue was started within my head and with my partner about which family traits, issues, strengths, and resiliencies made me who I am today. Subsequently, this dialogue made me aware that being raised in a small family has many advantages along with some disadvantages when acquiring information about influences and the history of preceding generations. Consequently, I did not have to contend with many conflicting recollections but I did have to rely mostly on my own memory, public records, and journals to piece together my genogram. Although all things discovered and recollected are not always fortunate on the surface, they subsist as basis to my personal resilience and strength as a gay man.

I grew up with both of my parents and three siblings, my family is extremely close, so close that everyone needs a break from one another from time to time. My family is far from perfect, I am not the oldest child but I always took on that role as being the oldest sibling. The one who watches my two younger siblings when both of my parents weren’t home. My older brother Aubrey was supposed to be the one who watched over us but he never did. He spent his days locked away in his room, or nat at the house at all. Taking on the role of almost a mother figure to my younger siblings was difficult. I had to learn to be selfless and not just think for myself at an early age. When my mom didn’t come home till after twelve to escape my dads drunkness or my dad was laying out drunk in the bedroom. I was the one who fed my little brother and sister. I was the one who cleaned up the room the three of us shared. I was the one who helped them with their homework, who did my little sister's hair. I didn’t realize how much mature I became because of this responsibility till I was in high school and was referred to as Mom by the basketball team. I’ve always thought that I was the same as any teen immature, reckless, and carefree. That wasn’t the case at all I had many responsibilities like babysitting my siblings,washing and folding our clothes, making sure they get their chores done. I did this because I knew my father drank because of our financial situation, not being able to pay the

To a lot of people, having the same blood running through your veins, means a lot. To some it means that it automatically claims you to be family. Others may think being blood related means you’re more important to them then someone who may not be. But to me, blood has nothing to do with who you care about and who you consider family. It doesn’t shape you as a person and doesn’t define who you are going to be. I am adopted, therefore, most of my family and I do not share the same DNA. But I have learned that it doesn’t matter if you have the same color hair as your mother, or the same eyes as your father. What matters is the love and the care that people share for you, that’s what makes you family.

Over the past years of my life, many things have changed, including my friends, lifestyle, religious beliefs and jobs. With everything constantly changing around me, there is one thing that has always stayed the same: my family. When I think about my most blissful moments in life, they all involve my family. My relationship with my parents, brother, husband and children is something that I learn to treasure more and more every day. There are many significant things in my life, but the most important relationship to me is family.

Ever since I was small I remember telling my mom I had always looked up to her because of everything she did. My mom would always tell me stories of herself when she was small and I realized how lucky I was to get most of the things I wanted as I kid. I remember her always telling me that she wanted me to take care of her just like she was taking care of me when I was older. "Mom I promise when I'm older I'll get you the biggest car and house you've always wanted" I would tell my mom every night when she would come to my room to put me in bed. My mom and dad had always had their differences for as long as I can remember. My parents had been happily married for most of their lives until my sisters and I were older. Even though the

I belong to many different primary and secondary groups. Some of the primary groups I belong to are, my family group, my close friends and my religious beliefs. I also belong to many secondary groups. They are my distant family relatives, my workplace and my classmates. In my family group the members include my mother, Amanda McDougall, my father, Chris Lee, my brother, Jayden Lee and myself, Mackenzie Lee. I love every member in this group with all my heart. Every member also has a very important role and if one member wasn’t to pull their weight then the group would fall apart. My mother’s role that she partakes in the group, is doing all the motherly chores, such as cleaning the dishes, washing our clothes, sweeping, mopping, etc. She also always makes sure that my brother and I are clean, healthy and most importantly happy. My mother is the most important member in the group in my opinion. If she is even gone for a few hours, the house could be completely clean when she leaves, and by the time she gets back it is a disaster! I greatly appreciate everything my mother does for my brother and I. She doesn’t act like a mother, more like a friend. I feel comfortable to talk to her about anything and I don’t know what I would do without her. She is the strongest person I know. My father also has a major role in the group. My dad goes to work everyday and works his butt off to make sure my mother, my brother and I have food in our stomachs and have nice things. My brother and I

There are many traditions in my family that we take part in. Some are sports such as baseball, basketball and football. others are holiday traditions such as Christmas and the Fourth of July. Many people have traditions that have been passed down from their ancestors but some traditions are what they have created as a family. I have lots of each of these but a few that I have chosen are Christmas traditions like Christmas trees and stockings. Others are baseball or the fourth of July. We all have traditions we love doing and many we all share with each other.

No one can’t meet a family like mine’s. My family is well diversified. Every family member plays an important role in all my family’s lives. In my family, there are four people: my father, my mother, my little brother and me. My father is one who brings money home and is also responsible for organizing and planning family trips. My mother is the one who is in charge for making meals and makes sure everyone eats at the appropriate times. My little brother is the pet of the family. He actually doesn’t have any responsibilities, for he’s the pet. I am the rock of support in my family. I always go beyond my parents’ expectations. I also support my younger cousins and little brother, by being a role model that they can look up to. Another

My mother has been and still is the only parent I see every day. While being with her I have learned many things. She has taught me to be responsible for my things like my clothing and art supplies, around people, and my siblings. At home I have to finish my chores sweeping, mopping, washing laundry, cleaning of the tables and the counter top, and sometimes clean the yard. Most of the time I have to help my sisters with their laundry or sweeping, and sometimes cook for my family when my mother and grandmother are not home. When I have too much work at home and schoolwork my mother would help me finish my chores and we will be free for the rest of the day and when that happens we all spend time as a family and go eat or watch a movie.

Family Therapy is a great way to open up and really get concerns and issues out in the open with families. The assignment was to have a non-clinical family interview, it was not like a therapy session, but it gave great insight of have a family session could go, it was a great experience. It allowed me to be the interviewer and ask questions about a family. It was a really interesting assignment. It consisted of selecting a family, asking questions, observing, and forming my thoughts about the session.

Talking about family has different meanings for me. As life goes on, I have come to discover

Have you ever wanted something so bad and then once you got it, you realize it was not all that it was cracked up to be? When I was little, I wanted what every other little kid wanted, a sibling. I wanted a little brother to be exact. That is what I asked for every birthday and every Christmas, thinking my parents could just go to the store and buy one. Finally, one Christmas, my wish came true.

The Soka Gakai International building was small and intimate. While it was not extravagantly decorated like most religious buildings it maintained one that was inviting and allowed someone to let their guard down. Once we arrived and heading into the main sanctuary, we were immediately welcomed and asked if we had attended before. Being our first time this was the first instance of family congregation began. Each side of El Paso has been divided into districts. They gave me our district and some names of people to meet after the service. Becoming connected to those in your neighborhood seemed to mean a lot to the leaders. Since I have older children the Young Mens Group leader Mikey came to talk with me and my oldest that is almost 14

We all have grandparents, but mine are an especially are a big part of my family. Our grandparents do not live close to us, so it’s great when we get to see them. It's especially tough since our family is so far apart. Family is the most important thing to our family. This time was an especially important to our family for a number of reasons.