What is a family?

What is a family?

My Family Tree

What is a family?

Understanding the Concept of FAMILY

A. Anthropologyviews the family as the

source and carrier of culture

B. Social Psychology sees families as small

groups with tasks to successfully master

What is a family?

C. Developmental psychologystudies the environment

within which children are raised and grow into themselves

Understanding the Concept of FAMILY

D.Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry

As the environment within which normal or abnormal behavior begins, takes hold and becomes the patterns enacted by children

What is a family?

The FAMILY

E. As the base for all members to experience connection and belonging while each experiences simultaneously the push toward autonomy and

independence F. As the environment within which children learn to know, experience and modulate their emotions through relationships with attachment figures

What is a family?

The FAMILY

G. As a system where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and where each individual affects and is affected by every other individual

What is a family?

The FAMILY offers…

An experience of connection with historyStories of ancestors which offer meaning and value to livesA sense of identity through identification with family members

What is a family?

The FAMILY offers…

A safe haven in which to relax and experience acceptance and regardA set of relationships within which one experiences care and guidance and the opportunity to care for and guide others

Types of Families

Definition: Married couple that has kids - this is seen as the “Traditional” family

Nuclear Family

Benefits: • both of your parents

under the same roof• support and stability • Sharing responsibilities• Don’t have to deal with

negative effects of divorce

• Can have relationship with both parents

Challenges: • Being committed to

staying together • making time for the family • Finances/Paying Bills –

especially if only one parent works

• Dividing up chores

Nuclear Family

DEFINITION: One adult who is raising a child or children due to divorce-death-or never had been married

Single Parent Family

Benefits: • strong bond with parent • don’t have to worry about

parents fighting in the house

• Kids learn responsibility, become independent and often mature faster

Challenges: • the one parents may

have to work long hours • less $ -only one income. • You only have one adult

in home and are missing either the mom or dad that is absent

• Less supervision for kids• Stress on parent –

children• Difficult going back and

forth between homes – different expectations etc…

Single Parent Family

Definition: 2 families join together– usually by

remarriage after divorce or death of a spouse, one or both may have children.

Blended Family

Benefits: • more people around to

shared the chores • more going on• you have both a mom and

a dad under the same roof• possibly better financially

Challenges: • hard to adjusting to the

new parent • Discipline by “step”

parent• Hard to get used to new

siblings – sibling rivalry• Hard to bond as a new

“family”

Blended Family

Definition: Several generations living together – more than just – mom, dad, kids… could include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins… Could also be another they – single, blended, dual career etc…

Extended Family

Benefits:• More adult role models• More people to help out

around the house• Bonding with more family

members• Activities going on • More supervision for

children• Carrying on of traditions,

culture, customs through generations

• Could provide financial help

Challenges: • Less privacy – space –

crowded – lots of sharing• Confusion about who is in

charge – rules etc…• Could be a financial strain• Parents attention could

be more divided• Some relationships may

be difficult – tough to get along all the time

Extended Family

Definition: Adult and child not blood related, but legally bound.

Adoptive Family

Benefits:• Cool to learn about

different cultures – if child is from a different culture

• Possibly child is “rescued” from foster care

• Child is “chosen” is wanted

• Helps people who are unable to have children

Challenges:• Expensive to adopt• Child may wonder about

past/family of origin/ culture etc..

• Child may have hurts associated with family or origin

• Adapting to new family, new environment can be difficult on all

Adoptive Family

Definition: Married couple without kids

Childless Family

Benefits:• No expense of children• More freedom to do what

couple wants – travel, etc..

• Work on personal goals• More time for

hobbies/interests• More time for friendships

outside the home• More time together as a

couple

Challenges:• Work can become all

consuming• May have conflict if one

wants children and the other doesn’t

• Stress associated with fertility issues – if wanting kids but unable

• Stress associated with not meeting the “norm” in society

• May have regrets when older and no kids/grandkids

Childless Family

Definition: Both parents work - either full time or part time – can be nuclear, blended, extended…– The average dual-career couple works away from their

home a combined 18.2 hours a day.

Dual Career Family

Benefits: • more $ and less financial

stress. • family may be able to travel

more and get more “things”. • children may be able to have

more opportunities that cost money

• The kids learn to be independent and do some of the house jobs

Challenges: • Parents may be gone more

and there may be less supervision

• Finding childcare can be difficult

• Husband/wife may struggle to balance work and home – shopping, discipline, chores etc…

• One spouse often feels overburdened

• Family is very busy• when home parents may be

tired and stress from work may spill over to home

• they may miss out on some of their kids “things”

Dual Career Family

Definition: Living alone OR living with one or more other single person. Sharing resources – caring for each other – having fun together.

Single Living/ Group of Friends

Benefits:• Sharing bills, rent etc.. –

less strain financially• Sharing household jobs• Support of roommates/

friends• Can move out – freedom

to make a change• If by yourself… time

alone, freedom to come and go, no one to answer to, independence,

Challenges:• Different opinions about

how things are to be done• Sharing household jobs• Financial stress – dividing

up bills, rent, etc…• Annoying habits of

roommate• If by yourself…

loneliness, financial stress, paying all bills, doing all housework etc..

Single Living/ Group of Friends