American Families

American FamiliesSizes

There are many forms and sizes of families in America. Most families consist of one husband and wife with 1-3 children. However, some families are much larger with 7-12 children. Families also have uncles, aunts, grandparents, or grandchildren who might live nearby.

Families with 1-2 children Families with 3-5 children Families with 7-10 children (can you imagine 7 brothers or sisters?) Families with children who are adopted from America and other

countries like China

Various sizes of the American family:

Families that live together Single-parent families resulting from death or divorce Blended families composed of two single parents who marry each

other and already have children a previous marriage Childless families (some will adopt one or more children) Multi-racial families

Various forms of the American family:

American FamiliesLocations

Rural means living outside of a town or city (like on a farm) City means living inside of a developed city boundary Most families live in or near a city or town Some live in very small towns, some live in big cities Some live on Farms, some have never visited a farm.

Rural families and City families:

Rural families are more familiar with nature and outdoor life Rural families live a quieter and slower-paced life Rural families might live far away from a city or town Rural families tend to know and trust all their neighbors Many live or work on farms that grow crops and animals

Rural families:

City families are less familiar with nature and outdoor life City families live a noisier and faster-paced life City families might never have even visited a farm City families might not even know their own neighbors City families have to deal with traffic, noise, and air pollution

City families:

American FamiliesLifestyles

Family homes:

The “American Dream” has always been to own a home 66% of American families are able to own their homes 34% of American families rent a home or apartment

Most American families have at least one car and many families have two or more cars, depending on the needs of the family.

Many American families love recreation and might also have some motorcycles, a boat, jet ski, or trailer for recreation and fun.

Family vehicles:

Most fathers work outside the home. Some mothers also have jobs, but many choose to stay home if they have children to raise them.

There are also jobs available in America for students after they turn 14. This is a good opportunity to experience the “real world”.

Family employment:

Favorite family vacation activities:

Gathering with the extended family and friends for celebration Going on family outings, such as picnics or swimming Camping in the mountains or on the coast Hiking in the wilderness, national parks, or scenic areas Day trips to an amusement park or zoo

Painting the house, remodeling a room, or planting a garden Staying home to watch movies, play board games, or bake

cookies together Attending church to honor God together on Sundays

Typical family shared activities:

A typical American family weekday morning:

Monday through Friday:

6:00am parents get up, have a cup of coffee together and talk about what they are doing for that day

6:30am Mother starts preparing breakfast and lunch for the family Father takes a shower, dresses, and starts preparing for work Children get up, make beds, dress, and eat breakfast with parents 7:00am Mother takes a shower and dresses for work - if she works

outside the home. Not all American mothers work outside the home. Children clean up the kitchen and get ready for school 8:00am Mother drives the children to school

2:30 Mother drives to the school to pick up children 3:00 Children leave school with mother 3:30 Children might have an after-school snack, can be chips

and dip, cookies, smoothies, sandwiches, anything light 4:30 Mother takes the children to music lessons, swimming

lessons, gymnastics, Taekwondo, sports team, or another after-school activity

A typical American family weekday afternoon:

5:00 Mother cooks dinner, children shower and start homework 6:00 Father returns home, watches the news or reads mail 6:30 Dinner time together helps the family to stay “in-touch” 7:30 One parent helps children with homework, the other parent

cleans up the kitchen. The children also have cleaning chores. 9:00 Mother or father reads a story to the younger children, then

everyone prays together to “Give Thanks” before they go to sleep 9:30 Children go to sleep, parents do some e-mail, talk, or watch

an interesting program on TV 10:30 Bed time. Get a good night’s rest for the next day

A typical American family weekday evening:

Saturday AM:

Everybody sleeps in and gets up around 8 or 9 o’clock Mother cooks breakfast or just serves cold cereal with milk Children might watch TV or go outside to play Mother goes to the grocery store to buy food for the next week Father mows the lawn, works in the garden, or does repairs Mother returns from shopping, children help put the groceries away Mother sometimes brings take-out lunch home for everyone

After lunch, children help vacuum the house and dust the furniture Mother cleans the bathrooms, washes clothes, and mops the floor Mother cooks dinner and older children bake cookies, cake, or pie After dinner, the whole family might play board games, or watch a

movie or a TV show, eat popcorn, ice cream, and desert

Saturday PM:

Sunday Worship activities:

Many American families attend a church to worship on Sunday Families attend the Worship service together in a large auditorium After this the children go to children’s Sunday School and parents

go to an Adult Sunday school in separate areas

Sunday Worship:

Sunday worship can be held in any small or large building During the worship time we sings songs and pray to worship God We listen to wise instructions on how to have a successful life and

raise happy families together

Sunday Fellowship:

Following church, the family usually goes out to enjoy lunch and fellowship at a restaurant with some relatives or friends

Afterwards, they will have a quiet afternoon and a relaxing evening They usually go to bed early to prepare for another exciting week