Family Structures Chapter 3

Family Structures Single People—May live with roommate. *Have freedom to come/go as they wish. * Do not have to coordinate with anyone else’s schedule. *Have more time for career and interests. Couples Advantages Rely and depend on each other Possibility for two incomes Challenges Career conflict

Family Types Nuclear Family Consists of mother, father, and their children Shared duties Single-Parent Family Consists of one parent and his or her children All duties handled by 1 parent 3. Blended Family Husband and wife, at least one has children from a former relationship.

Family Types Extended Family Includes relatives other than parents and minor children. Can include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins Some live together and share responsibilities Adoptive Family A family with a child/children who are not born to the parents but made part of the family through legal action. Legal Guardians Court make person guardian and they act as the child’s parent. Foster Family Takes care of children short term

Family Personality Family Legacies, Traditions, and Rituals Legacy-something that has been handed down from previous family members. Varies by family. Family Tradition- Custom followed over time and will vary from family to family. EXAMPLE: Birthdays- Family A: Goes out to dinner to celebrate. Family B: Stays in and cooks but the birthday person gets to choose the menu. Family Ritual- Varies by family but includes attending religious or cultural events with the family.

How Personality Affects Family Values The personality of a family affects how the family fulfills its functions and needs. Personality has an impact on what family members learn and the values they hold. Families share values but differ in personalities. EXAMPLE: TWO Families value education but because they have different personalities, they fulfill this value for education differently. Family A: Likes reading/have many books at home/spend time at home reading together. Family B: Spend time together visiting museums or art galleries or vacation to national parks.

Family Atmosphere Family atmospheres can be different depending on the traits of the family. Could be fast paced/loud Laid back and friendly Formal and distant See examples textbook page 47, paragraphs 2&3. In healthy families, the atmosphere allows family members to love one another and make the best of themselves and each other.

Family Boundaries Family Boundary is the line that divides a family from others. Strict boundaries = Outsiders not important *May not have guest often * The line between family and others is strong. Loose boundaries = accept others into their home and lives easily * Relationships with non-family members are part of life *Friends and neighbors often visit and are always welcome.

Family Decision Making How families relate to each other reflects how they make decisions. Autocratic- One person makes all of the major decisions. Democratic-Decision making is shared. Thoughts and feelings of children are valued.

Interdependence Interdependence is a feeling that family members can rely on each other. It helps you to feel good about your family. When family members spend time together sharing feelings and activities, they feel secure and are more committed to each other. In strong families, interdependence is valued. Family members are close, but each person is still involved in the outside world. Members are encouraged to make choices for themselves. Have relationships with friends outside the family.

Dependence Dependent people rely too much on others. They may not be able to make decisions on their own and want someone to decide for them. They avoid taking action on their own. Finding a balance between independence and dependence is the goal of healthy families. Strong families blend the best of dependence and independence. All members learn to stand by each other yet be active members of the outside world.

Families and the Media Many people get an image of what family should look like from the media. REMEMBER that the purpose of these movies/shows is to entertain you. Time puts a limit on what they can do in each movie/show. They may show everything perfect and not show what it took to get to that point. REAL FAMILIES ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM MEDIA IMAGES! DIFFERENT does NOT mean better or worse. It just means different. Do not set your standards based on what you see on TV.