Health Chapter 3

Lesson 2: Your Family

Relationships are an important part of your social health. Good relationships make you feel loved, wanted, safe, and secure. Family relationships are some of the most important. – Family is the basic unit of society. A family includes two or more people brought together by blood, marriage, adoption or a desire for mutual support.

Family Types Couple: a husband and a wife who do not have children Nuclear family: two parents and one or more children Extended family: a nuclear family plus other relatives such as grandparents Single-parent family: one parent and one or more children

Family Types Blended family: two people, one or both with children from previous marriages Foster family: adults caring for one or more children born to different parents Adoptive family: a couple plus one or more adoptive children Joint-custody family: two parents living apart, sharing custody of their children Single-custody family: two parents living apart and one or more children living with only one parent

Family Roles and Responsibilities Every family member has a role – Parents/Other adults: Making sure the basic needs of the family are met Teaching and practicing good health habits Model good behavior and other health skills – Children: Helping around the house or other family members Showing appreciation (ex: saying “thank you”)

The main job of any family is to meet the needs of its members. A strong family nurtures its members. – Nurture: to fulfill physical, mental/emotional, and social needs

Physical responsibilities of a family: – provide a place to live, food and clothing. – Show concern for one another’s safety and well- being

Emotional responsibilities of a family: – provide love – create an atmosphere of warmth and security – make each other feel welcome and accepted – Shape each other’s values and beliefs – Celebrate each other’s successes – Help each other deal with disappointments and challenges

Social responsibilities of a family: – Sharing – Help each other – Spend time together – Participate in activities together

Coping with Family Changes Just as individuals go through changes, so do families. – Some are positive, such as a job promotion or graduation. – Others are more difficult, such as divorce, separation, losing a job, or an illness/death. These can be stressful for the whole family. These changes can cause many emotions. It is best if you express and share your feelings with someone you trust.

Serious Family Problems All families have their ups and downs, but some families develop more serious situations that are beyond the family’s ability to handle.

Examples of serious family problems: Abuse: a pattern of mistreatment of another person. – Physical abuse: involves the use of physical force. Example: bruises, burns, or broken bones. – Sexual abuse: any mistreatment of a child or adult involving sexual activity. Example: any forced or unwanted sexual activity, such as touching private parts – Neglect: Failure to provide basic physical and emotional care and protection Example: not providing food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. Not giving love, respect or emotional support

Help for troubled families If you ever feel in danger, you must be brave enough to get help right away. Start by speaking to an adult that you can trust. These situations require help from professional health services that are trained to deal with these types of situations, such as social workers, religious leaders, and crisis centers.