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Every person belongs to a family. Whether they know them or not, whether they are dead or alive, or whether they are happy when they are together or not, everyone has one. It’s one of the aspects of life that we all have in common. There is not a single real family that is perfect. Some are divorced, some are not related by blood, and others are just messed up. Yet for some reason, even though we are all aware of the fact that our families are far from perfect, we still strive to be what we are not. On television and in other social medias, there are so many images of the standard or “perfect” family. Even though in reality, we can never achieve such a status, too many people strive to be exactly that. In my overly embellished house, …show more content…
In the photo which displays a smiling family in matching outfits, my father had a smile on his face. It was a little bit of an awkward smile. His eyes were a little bit squinty, yet he was still smiling. He hadn’t quite found a way to tell us yet that he was having issues at his new job in Pennsylvania, yet he was still smiling. We all were hiding something behind our smiles that day. My dad was hiding his job issues behind his. My brother had more of angry irritated smile on because shortly before the photographer snapped the shot, he and my father got into a small dispute. My mom’s smile was hiding disappointment because she had just yelled at my brother for wearing white socks that would not match his shirt, she knew this portrait wouldn’t be perfect. In my sister’s face, you can see a sense a uncomfortableness for shortly before the photo, she had fell in the photo that day. For myself, I also had a sense of irritation behind the smile on my face. I felt this because about 5 second before the photographer pressed the camera button, my family was arguing. Anytime I look at the image in my home, I just see how fake it is. How fake we are posed to “look natural”, how fake our smiles are, how fake of a happy family we
Traditional family in today’s society is rather a fantasy, a fairy tale without the happy ending. Everyone belongs to a family, but the ideology that the family is built around is the tell tale. Family structures have undeniably changed, moving away from the conventional family model. Nowadays more mothers work outside of the home, more fathers are asked to help with housework, and more women are choosing to have children solo. Today there are families that have a mom and a dad living in the same home, there are step-families, and families that have just a mother or just a father. Probably the most scrutinized could be families that consist of two moms or two dads. These are all examples of families and if all members are appropriately happy and healthy then these families are okay and should incontestably be accepted. So why is the fantasy of the traditional family model still so emphasized in our society? This expectation is degrading and misleading. Progressing with times one ought not be criticized or shunned for being true to their beliefs. It is those living falsely, living as society thinks they should that are the problem. Perhaps as a society, if there were more focus and concern for happiness and peace within ones family and fewer worries for the neighbor then there would be less dilemma.
In conclusion, we all have our views and versions of the typical, or perfect, family, yet how come we buy in to the media's portrayal of the violent and abusive family dynamic? Is it a plague running rampant? Is it an issue amongst us all? Yes. Is it the norm? No. Nor is it the widest range of the family. Families who educate themselves, as well as support one another through emotional bonds, and the such, come closer to, and are the most widely recognized form of a sculpted and politically accurate family, as close to "typical or "normal" as it could ever get. We need families to help us when we fail, hold us when we're scared, teach us when we are unsure, and show us that a "normal family" is not specific, but is positive. In this sense we need stronger families; would you want to be the weakest link in your families' ongoing history? Think about it.
For some people Family is a simple matter, you have a group of people who hold your hand as you cross the street, take you to birthday parties and tuck you into bed at night. In an ideal world you even have the picturesque family with the father who works a good job and the mother who stays home all day taking care of the house with a chipper and loving demeanor all the time. However, as we learn in Lori Jakielas book, Belief is its own kind of truth Maybe sometimes it is only by searching for that perfect family that we can truly find out where we were always meant to be.
What's important to note is that family, or even the concept of family itself, doesn't appear in any of those ideals. Holmes and Holmes (2002) observed that “The family reunions of yesterday are now rare, and when they occur they are often a source of stress.” (p. 19) That quote solidifies one reason why family interaction today is: “It’s just too stressful, so we avoid it. Where does marriage fit into our culture of individuals?
THOSE OF US WHO grew up in the 1950s got an image of the American family that was not, shall we say, accurate. We were told, Father Knows Best, Leave It to Beaver, and Ozzie and Harriet were not just the way things were supposed to be—but the way things were
Society seems to have many different opinions when it comes to relationships and families and what is ideal. The ideal family may not exist anymore. We now have in our society families that are complete that do not necessarily contain the traditional material. The traditional family, as society would see it; usually consist of a married, mother and father and usually children. Moms are supposed to stay at home while dads work the forty-hour a week job. However, in our 2003 world, families exist in a lot of non-traditional ways. A lot of families now consist of single parent families, or same sex parents and their children, or even couples that are unmarried but live together. And even now, if a family contains what society sees as traditional as far as having a mom, dad, and kids, other aspects are not traditional anymore. Women now have more opportunity in the workplace than they have ever had, therefore, many moms are career moms and dads are sometimes staying at home. Years ago, these types of families were given labels for being dysfunctional or abnormal, however, this label is not holding up as well as it did years ago. There are many non-traditional families that are raising children in a loving, nurturing home with a substantial amount of quality love. Quality is the key in any relationship between anyone. Society is finding out that it is not the traditional image that makes a loving family, but the quality of a relationship that people give to each other is what really makes a family. In the essay "The Myth of the "Normal" Family", written by Lousie B. Silverstein and Carl F. Auerbach, they make references to the cultural idea of what a "normal" family should be and what i...
When one looks at a family photo they make an interpretation on the perceived reality of smiling faces and comfortable expression. What is not captured by these constructions is the truth that is often hidden within an “ideal family”. Pictures, beautiful homes, family vacations, and status all help to paint an illusion that conceal the reality of the strain that domestic relationships face. The appearance of family identity can often seem ideal, but beyond this dimension can be a less than ideal truth. Complicated relationships between family members can often occur due to expectations and values that do not align. Parental figures establish standards regarding personal and life values. Relationships that are oppressive can express expectations
In a Utopian society most of us would rejoice in knowing that two people such as Mel and Kel who care so deeply for one another, have found each other and are willing to spend the rest of their lives together. Unfortunately we don’t live in a society of that quality and admiration. In any culture, it’s generally conceived that the family is the absolute core of a society. In that, the norms and values of a civilization are directly conveyed from one generation to another through this bloodline. But what exactly is a family? Are there distinct specifications, qualifications or even guidelines that govern the framework for what a family should be? In the Webster’s dictionary a “family” is clearly defined as: “the basic unit in society having as its nucleus two or more adults living together and cooperating in the care and rearing of their own or adopted children.
The famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy once said that, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”. When comparing happy families, they are happy for similar reasons, but when comparing unhappy families there are an infinite number of reasons of why they can be unhappy. Although this may not be a definition of family, it is most definitely an interpretation of family itself. Family cannot be defined, family itself it to complex not only when it comes to defining the meaning of family but also a family itself can be too difficult to comprehend. The three works that prove that family is too difficult to comprehend is A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and lastly The Parenthood
The idea of family is different from person to person. Regardless of the differences, everyone’s family is unique and special in their own way. No one can judge or discriminate against people for their meaning and interpretation of what a family looks like. For example, family may have two parents; one parent; or no parents (since these are brief phrases, semi-colons shouldn't be used). The variation and differences between families makes culture and society so diverse. Family does not have limitations or boundaries (true). As long as the definition of family contains the qualities of unconditional love, and endless support, help, and guidance; all different families (awk) will be able to succeed and achieve a greater feeling of happiness and a sense of belonging and acceptance.
Family, a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household. Although family is a concretely defined term, the idea of family varies from person to person. But, what makes a family? For those who are surrounded by loving blood relatives, for those who have never known the one to grant them life, for those who have left their blood behind for a more loving and nurturing environment, what can commonly define a family? Family is something defined by the individual. Family includes those who you have come to love, whether platonically or romantically, those you have suffered with, those you have come to respect, and most importantly those you have cared for and in turn have cared for you. To one that could mean people who
The idea of an ideal American family seems ridiculous today. Two hundred years ago many Americans may not have thought twice about the idea that there was a correct form that a family should follow. In the 19th century our country was young and was one of a few to have to come up with its own national identity in such a short period of time. In hindsight and with a bit of anachronism one could say that America dealt with its immigrant population with a great deal of hypocrisy. Instead of being a haven for immigrants America was almost a factory, attempting to take in different people and create a melting pot in which everything becomes alike. Every ingredient eventually loses its uniqueness.
Out of the numerous commodities and resources that are scarce on the planet in which we inhabit a family, or even a family system, can never be parallel to even an iota of them. This is due to the fact that everyone, no matter what age at what time period of their life, has a family. That family may not be the cookie cutter family that society imposes on the media world. People develop without knowing their family, people create new families of their own, or they can even find something or someone to call family because of this family will never be scarce. Family is an objective concept to every single person and the definition varies significantly from being as simple as the smallest of toys to as complex as a group of people interconnected
How can a simple six letter word be so complicated to define? Family is a single word that is open to many interpretations depending on the individual. If you try to condense this ideal to a single clinical definition you end up excluding numerous members of society. What comes to mind when you think of the word family? While in the most broken down and literal sense, family means a relative with a blood or legal bond, the word family can encompass blood relations, adoptions, and even intentional relationships such as friendships. Economies, cultures, and backgrounds can further differentiate what one’s perception of a family is. For many people, including me, a family is so much more. It is the amount of commitment, cohesiveness, and importance
Everyone seems to define family differently, however, the significance of family is the same. For you, family means everything. You can always count on your parents and siblings for help and love. Family is very valuable and important to you and should never be taken for granted. No one can deny that family is the foundation of our generation. A family is where we all start our life journey and helps us grow to be successful throughout our lives.