The Role of Families

Why Study Families

Terms to Know: adoptive families, blended families, extended families, foster families, nuclear families, nurture, sibling

What makes a family? (write down your own answer) By learning about families, we will understand the

influence families have and how you can contribute to your family

Family Structures

Nuclear Family: husband, wife, and their biological children

Cont.

Extended Family: parents, children, and other family members – Example: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins,

etc.

Cont.

Blended Families: husband, wife, and at least one child from a previous marriage

Cont.

Single-parent families: One parent and their child

Cont.

Adoptive families: one or more children not born into a family but made a permanent member by law

Cont.

Foster families: a couple or individual assumes temporary responsibility for the care of a child

Cont.

Couple: married individuals without children

Trends Affecting Families

Birth rate: Number of children has decreased Women in the workforce: more women working,

spend less time at home Increasing lifespan: 1900-men 47, women 49

1994-men 73, women 80 Mobility: change residence often Divorce: very common; over half of marriages today

will end in divorce; more people not remarrying

Functions of Families

Meet physical needs: food, clothing, shelter, and health care

Promote emotional growth: showing love and acceptance, emotional refuge, expressing emotions

Shape social development: teach how to behave towards others, basic social skills (mainly through example, not directly), preserving culture and heritage

Cont.

Aiding intellectual development: parents and siblings are first teachers, teaching thinking skills and encouraging creativity/imagination

Guiding moral growth: teaching a code of conduct and a set of values

Total picture: difficult for families to provide for all a person’s needs

Your Role in the Family

Because of the large impact families have on individuals, important to have a nurturing and strong family

Teens can be role models for young siblings and provide support for other members in the family

Strengthening Families

Chapter 15

What is Family Strength

Solid base Deeply rooted Nourishing environment Similar to an oak tree

What Creates Strength

Respect– Each other’s behaviors, abilities, needs, and

opinions, even when not shared– Don’t make members more or less worthy of

others– Appreciate and value differences– Example: ask permission, knock on closed doors

Cont.

Trust– Closeness is built on trust– Count on each other for help and support– Responsibilities show your parents trust you

Cont.

Emotional Support– Words and actions that reassure others and share

positive feelings– Ways to show support:

“you did a great job” Give a hug for no reason Doing a task without being asked

Cont.

Communication– Essential– Leave a note or phone call message– Prevents confusion

Sharing

One of the 1st lessons learned as a child Working towards a common goal helps bind

family members together Traditions Spending time together

Finding Time for Families

Strategies for managing time: – Set priorities– Allow for variations– Be realistic about what can be done– Seek and give cooperation with other family

members– Learn to manage stress– Plan together how time will be spent

Support Systems

Network of groups and individuals that a family can turn to for help

Help families to accomplish family goals A lot of times, support systems include

extended family like grandparents or aunts and uncles

Neighbors, community, or professional services

Adjusting to Family Changes

Chapter 16

Family Life Cycle

General pattern to describe how families grow 5 steps:

– Beginning stage: couple establish a home– Parental stage: become parents and raise their children– Launching stage: children leave home to start a new life for

themselves– Middle age stage: after children have left, parents now have

time for themselves– Retirement stage: more freedom for travel and leisure

activities

Changes Families Make

New family members– Most common change– Usually a happy event– Could be a new baby, a relative, or adoption

Moving

Very significant change A lot of adjusting required by all Steps to make it easier:

– Learn as much as possible about new place– Talk with others that have moved– Join clubs to meet new people– Join church or community group– Have a positive attitude

Job Change & Job Loss

Divorce

One of most painful Confusion and stress Time for adjustment Counseling may help

Remarriage and Blending

Families merging together Feelings of resentment, confusion, anger Tips for blending families:

– May not like it, but try and find a way to make it work– Work out new ways to manage time and space– Review rules– Get to know new members– Some difficult moments, not always wonderful experience

Illness and Accidents

Disrupt family life Emotional distress Find strength in one another

Death

Traumatic event Recovery may be slow Suggestions for coping:

– Take responsibility for things you can do– Participate in events that help you accept the

reality of the event– Spend time with young members of the family– Death due to illness – learn about disease

Accepting Change

Cooperate Communicate Follow routines as much as possible Don’t be afraid to ask for help in dealing with

difficult times Be adaptable!!