The Canadian Family

1. To define all forms of family 2. To list the social trends that have caused the look of the family to change. 3. To know the characteristics of happy families.

 During the early part of the past century, marriage was seen as a lifetime commitment and the “traditional” family was the norm.  Divorce rates were very low and almost non-existent in many Western societies.  A traditional family could be defined as that with a married mother and father and children, with the father being employed and the mother staying at home.

 The family is a social unit of interacting persons who make commitments, assume responsibilities, nurture each other, become socialized, transmit cultural and religious values, and share resources over time.  The family consists of a husband and wife (with or without children) or a lone parent of any marital status, with one or more children living in the same dwelling, or persons living in common law type of arrangement.

 The Nuclear Family  Consists of a parent or parents and children living together.  The Conjugal Nuclear Family  This is when the parents are legally married (also called a simple family).  The Extended Family  This consists of biological relatives living with the nuclear family. It may include grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.  The Experimental Family  This is when several adults cohabit or live together in the same household (communes).

 The Blended Family  This consists of a husband and wife, with offspring from a previous marriage, living in a common household.  The Dual Career Family  Consists of an intact nuclear family made up of a husband, a wife and offspring living in the same household where both partners work.  The Single Career Family  Is an intact nuclear family consisting of a husband, a wife and offspring living in the same household, where one partner, traditionally the husband, is the provider.

 The following trends have changed the look of the family:  Later Marriages  Delayed Parenthood  Smaller families  Higher rates of divorce  Re-marriage and blended families Social Trends and Families

 A national survey on happy families, conducted by Nick Stinnett, discovered the following:  Happy families spend time together  Happy families have good communication  Happy families show appreciation for one another  Happy families are committed to the family group  Happy families deal with crises positively Characteristics of Happy Families

 In pairs of twos (2), read pages 2 – 6 in our textbook.  On a sheet of loose-leaf write your names and the date and do the following:  Answer question 1 on page 2  Answer questions 1 – 3 on page 6  To be handed in for marks. Effort counts!