The Family Structure Of The Family

Marriage is the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship, usually a man and a woman. When we think of marriage we usually think of a man and a woman with children living happily ever after. Sometimes this is not the case in some marriages around the world. Usually there is some struggle and difficulties in marriages that could end in divorce. According to Weaver (2014), “In today’s world, divorce is a normative event, affecting approximately half of all marriages in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004.)” (p.39) This is quite a large number of divorces considering that there is millions of people that live in the United States. Divorce is not always the easiest solution when ending a

Structure, “something arranged in a definite pattern of organization” (Merriam-Webster, 2016) Most people are exposed to structure from the beginning. The child's first example of structure is understanding family structure. Your mother is usually the first tier supervisor; she sets the rules on meal times, play times, and rest times. What is more, If you don’t follow the instructions given; you may receive some type of discipline. If the child / employee does not respond to the first line supervisor; eventually, the issues are then moved up the to the next level of management the father / manager. Indeed, Wait until your father gets home” or wait until the manager gets here.

Family Structure has a monumental impact on identity, both on a personal and social level. The traditionalist family structure, being that of a nuclear family has proved to stand the test of time and continues being the most common family structure. The continuity of this structure

Language constantly evolves and changes as it is adopted by different cultures. Consequently, words have many definitions, connotations and origins. “Family” is a term that has changed over time; as a result the traditional definition of “family” is inadequate, and limited to describe the modern version of the term. Our society tends to attach itself to the “traditional conceptualization of family” better know as a “nuclear family” which includes a set of parents, and their biological offspring (Kompara). In America, known as a “melting pot” of all cultures and races, there are many implications for the word family thus there is no such thing as a traditional family. The traditional definition, which is limited parents and their children, can no longer be used to describe an American family because of our diverse and changing familial structures.

What is a family? How are families shaped and what effect do they have on society? In the United States a family consists of both parents, one’s self, siblings (biological or adoptive) and extended family members; however, this is not the case around the world. The concept of family and who is family changes in each culture, but is mostly centered around who is kin and who a person marries. Family, kin, and marriage are established through how society decides their lineage, which establishes cultural rituals within the society.

Family is the fundamental unit of society. The concept and structure of the British family has seen a change over the last 50 years. These changes have culminated in the decay of marriage and therefore the rise of cohabitation, new forms of family composition and the delay of parenthood, thus, making traditional nuclear family less stable than in previous generations (Jenkins et al. 2009).

There are different types of families, and what one may consider to be part of a family, another might not. For instance, not everyone believes a pet is part of a family, while others may treat their pets as their own biological children. Family is often defined as “any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins” (“Family,” 2016). This paper will synthesize information regarding my family, including my personal family genogram, my family artifacts, and analysis of my family dynamics, which will discuss family roles, cultural aspects values and beliefs, and other components of family. Also, this paper will examine the impact of family of origin in terms of how I would approach other family systems

A family can come in many forms, from nuclear to extended, from single parent and even divorced families. Family has an enormous influence in shaping our lives, identities and ultimately who we will turn out to be. Family categories usually fall into three groups: the nuclear family consisting of a mother, father, and siblings living together. The extended family, consisting two or more families live together such as grandparents, uncles, aunts, or other relatives, and single-parent families.

In society, marriage is generally seen as an acceptable way of living life, and is often loaded with the expectation of having a family. However, marriage has various implications as well as meanings to an individual, based upon their experiences with marriage. Some view marriage simply and plainly as an experience you get to share with the love of your life. Others view it as a ploy to waste your time, and more often than not some do it because it is practical. Contrary to the negativity and skepticism surrounding marriage, individuals still aspire to get married. Regardless of the various viewpoints of marriage some individuals have to offer, the institution of marriage still holds significance within our society. Reflecting upon this myself,

Additionally, the social construction of the nuclear family can be understood by the significant changes in the laws and rights of individuals. Within a nuclear family, marriage is considered mandatory for some individuals but its main bond is between a heterosexual male and female. As a society, communities base a nuclear on this particular ideal but social change began. The legal institution of marriage is not only gendered but also dictates how individuals shall live socially accepted lives. To put it in other words the legal institution of marriage is a system that allows the state to regulate relationships (Mule, Chapter 19 p. 182). It is important to realize that the process of marriage for either heterosexual beings or same –sex

Despite the strong claims of scientific backing by the most vocal advocates of family structuralism, the research literature is far more complicated than these simplistic portrayals. The use of social science is selective and misleading. As some scholars admit, the debate about family structure is not simply about scientific evidence. It is also a debate about values.

In her book The Unfinished Revolution, Kathleen Gerson argues that today, family pathways are more important than family structure. In this context, family structure refers to the organization of a family, and the way that it has been changing as a result of the gender revolution. For example, some nontraditional family structures that are explored in the book include double parent families with both parents earning, single parent families (mostly single mothers), and families with same-sex parents. Gerson argues that while family structures are not negligible, it is family pathways that are more important for the children of the gender revolution. That is to say, the children value the dynamics of their family more than the structure. They are more concerned about how well their parents are able to provide them with the necessary emotional and financial support than they are about how well their families follow a norm. For them, it is more about feeling like they’re part of a family rather than just physically being in one. Gerson emphasizes this when she explains that the people she interviewed “focused on the long-term consequences of parental choices, not on the specific form or type of home these choices produced at any one moment in time.” One important implication of this argument is the way in which the children of the gender revolution imagine their own romantic relationships unfolding. Even there, they prioritize a feeling rather than a format. For example, one

The definition and structure of family has significantly developed throughout the years, with liberal perspectives suggesting alternative family arrangements. In 1973, Michael Young and Peter Willmott conducted studies of family life within the London area and concluded that the development and changes within the structure of family life can be sorted into three categories of time. (Van Krieken et al. 2017, p. 107). The pre-industrial family (up until the early 19th century), the early industrial family (Industrial Revolution - early 20th century) and the symmetrical family (20th century onwards). Sociological perspectives such as Marxism, functionalism and feminism all adhere to the structure within the household and how this shapes the

The family structure determines where you derive from and provides a sense of who you are. The typical family structure is perceived as a father and a mother, two children, one boy and one girl, and a pet. The typical family description described above is still promoted and expected to be the “dream family.” Author Meyerhoff, “While the nuclear family with Dad, Mom, and offspring happily coexisting beneath one roof-remains the ideal, variations in family structure are plentiful and often successful” (Meyerhoff). Meaning that a lot of families are remarried spouses with prior children and more common in the last decade same sex marriages. So, do these nontraditional families have the same qualities? Personally, I would think so. After

Social structure is seen as a relationship between different groups of people. These structures of people each play a role. There are different functions within each of the roles that people play within this structure. Some of these roles are socioeconomic, meaning that some people are wealthy, middle –class, or are considered poor. There also may be an owner of a company, the Supervisor of the employees for that company and the employees themselves, for that same company. Each of these are roles that are within this social structure. The same would be true of the hierarchy of a family. There are, in some cases, Grandparents, Parents, children, and grandchildren. Although, this may not be true for every household or familial situation, it is most likely that this would be the case. Family structure is beneficial in defining who we are as people where we came from, and what position in society we may/may not hold.