Family is one of the most diverse and dynamic concepts in existence. There are multitudes of factors that constitute ones personal beliefs on family and what it entails. My personal position on the matter is that family is a group of people, related either by blood or by sharing an extremely close bond by some other means, which are always there for each other and possess all the aspects of kinship. Like I mentioned above, everyone’s ideology of family is different; the way you’ve been raised, obstacles you’ve experienced, and even demographics all construct different opinions on what “family” is. I set out to understand others’ thoughts on what family is by interviewing three people: my girlfriend Alexis (age 19), my dad Rhett (age 45) and …show more content…
The textbook addresses this issue, stating that there is almost too much variety in “family” for it to be properly defined. Another large factor regarding family is something known as, “affiliated kin,” defined as, “unrelated individuals who feel and are treated as if they were relatives.” Affiliated kin can be anyone you treat as though they’re family, although you aren’t related through blood, such as: best friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, pets, teachers, neighbors, and many more. I would say affiliated kin is a gargantuan component as to why family is so difficult to define. I have many close friends that I, along with my family, consider to be a part of our family; even though they aren’t related to us through blood. While reading the text (The Family and Marriage Experience) I discovered that I have a fairly liberal understanding of family. Most people consider a “nuclear” family, the definition of family. A nuclear family is a family consisting of a mother, a father, and children. To take this even further, the
A family could be described as two heterosexual parents and their children, a single parent and his or her children, two same-sex parents and their children, grandparents or other relatives caring for the children, foster parents caring for another person’s child, inter-racial couples and their children, inter-faith parents and their children, and maybe others I have not even considered. A family could even be something as simple as what my family refers to as a “family of choice:” a situation where a person who is not related by blood or marriage steps into a family role and assumes a position within that family. For instance, in my family, my mother’s best friend stepped into the role of “Aunt Carissa.” As a young child, I remember that Aunt Carissa would often spend evenings at our house helping my mother care for my sister and me while my dad worked nights. She has been a part of virtually every defining moment in my life, such as my pre-school graduation ceremony, my first theater performance and countless holidays. She even attended my sister’s high school graduation. Carissa is completely unrelated to me in any biological sense, but to me she is my Aunt. She was even in the hospital delivery room when I was
Family is defined as “a group of people who are related to each other, a person 's children, or a group of related people including people who lived in the past” by the website of the Merriam-Webster, a respected dictionary first assembled in the year eighteen twenty eight.
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
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
Many would see family as just bloodline due to many television shows and movies; however, family is people who support us and we enjoy in our lives. When people mention family, many would think of individuals in their bloodlines. This standard norm for many comes from the depiction of family on T.V. For example, in AMC hit show, “The Walking Dead” many of the choices made by the group leader Rick Grimes, during a zombie apocalypse, are usually the best for his family not the group in its entirety. People can view his action to be appropriate due to him putting his bloodline first over the many other who are there such as protecting his pregnant wife over the group itself. When faced with a situation of that magnitude many would think family
A family might include anyone related by blood or by adoption such as: step parents, grandparents acting as parents, and even brothers and sisters sharing the same household. However, worldwide “the family is regarded as the most ba...
I think the defines family is the people that surround you to Comfort you and love you and are always there for you when you having a tough time. Here are the things that can be in a family mom, dad, pets, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles. Family can be there when you're having a school
The word “family” is unique, special, and controversial among different cultures and ethnicities. As defined by Random House Western Dictionary, a family is “any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins” (Dictionary.com). Although the definition from Random House follows the infamous proverb of, “blood is thicker than water,” my definition of family does not. Family is not defined or restricted by blood relations. In my mind, a family is simply a group of people, who loves, supports, and helps each other unconditionally, and endlessly. Regardless of one’s sexual orientation or preference, all families embody these common principles. Thus, a family unites its members through the strong bonds and kinships formed when people come together. (Great intro.)
My definition of family is a group of people who are related to each other.
When the word “family” is discussed, most people think of mothers, fathers, and other siblings. Some people think of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins and more on the pedigree tree. Without family in people's lives, they would not be the same people that they grew up to be today and in the future. When people hear the word family they think about, the ones who will help them in any way they can whether it’s money, support, advice, or anything to help them succeed in life. Family will forever be the backbone of support.
Family is defined by the text as “two or more persons living together and linked for financial or emotional support” (Barbour, Barbour & Scully, 2011). For my purposes family is defined as those with whom I maintain a close bond, whether or not they live with me. For example, I have a brother, who might be defined as :family” as we were raised in the same house, but I also have friends that I consider “family” based on emotional support I derive from their friendship.
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.
The family is a societal institution which initiates the positive and negative process of social interactions between people. Over the last few decades what constitutes the family has changed all over the world. Family in today’s environment is diverse in nature and may go beyond the scope of parents and children. Families can consist of variations in relationships such as close relatives, stepparents, half siblings and extended non-biological family members. Normally, immediate family members live in the same house, nearby, until the child reaches a specified age and maturity to go into the world and start their own family. Most often members of the families have intimate and personal relationships with each other. Within the family there is a continuation of social interactions between members that can influence and shape peoples responses and reactions to their larger societies.
Family is a fundamental social institution in society, the family, is considered the primary and most important agent of socialization. Family typically consists of a man and woman and their children or two or more people who usually reside in the same home and share same goals and values. Traditionally, in all societies, the family has always been seen as a social institution; that has the biggest impact on society.
In this discussion, I will be explaining how I define family. I will also include my immediate and extended family. I will also describe what family means to me, how mine differs from other families in my neighborhood, and also how they are similar. I will also describe my family’s ethnicity and how it may affect any of my family’s health. To me, a family is a group of people that are brought together by blood, adoption, or marriage.