Understanding
Families
Objectives:
1.1 reflect on the roles and
responsibilities of families
1.2 analyze the demographic
trends of families and predict
the implications for Canadian
families and society
1.4 develop a definition of
family within the context of
Canadian society
The Importance of Families
•
A family is a group of two or more people
who care about each other and are
committed to each other.
Why does family seem to matter so much?
A family is every child’s first connection to
the world. As a child gets older, a family
should provide a safe environment from
which to explore-and to which he or she
can return.
The family provides an important sense of
belonging for every member.
1950’s Family
Today???
Types of Families
• Family groups take many different forms and vary in size
and structure. A family may include a single parent and
several children, or two parents and one child, or two
married or committed with no children….etc.
In spite of these many variations, there are four main
kinds of family groups:
- nuclear family
- extended family
- single-parent family
- blended family
The Nuclear Family
Is a family with two generations – a father and mother and
at least one child – sharing the same household.
the families may differ depending on how many children
there are, whether parents work outside the home, and
other characteristics.
A nuclear family can include:
- biological children
- adopted children
- foster children
Single-Parent Family
• Is a family group that includes either a mother or a father
and at least one child.
• The parent may be father or mother.
• That parent may be raising children alone.
Single parenting puts many demands on the parent. He or
she has a great deal of responsibility, little free time, and no
spouse with whom to share problems. Many single parents
find support in a network of friends and relatives. Some
communities have organizations for single parents, which
provide emotional support and social opportunities.
Example: YMCA
Custodial Parent
• In the case of divorce, many children make scheduled visits
to the parent who doesn’t live with them. These visits give
the custodial parent, the one with whom the child resides,
a necessary break from the challenges of single parenthood
and preserves the relationship between the other parent and
child.
The Blended Family
• Is a family group formed when a single parent marries
another person, who may or may not have children.
• Step-parents
• Step-children
• Step-brothers/ step-sisters
In the first few months or years, the members of a blended
family may experience challenges:
•
•
•
•
Learning to live with each other
Accommodations and compromises
Stepparenting adjustments
And more.
Extended Family
• Is a family group that includes a parent or parents, at least
one child, and relatives other than a parent or child who live
with them.
Examples:
• A woman raisers her two grandsons.
• An elderly man lives with his daughter, his son-in law and
his granddaughter.
• The term extended family also refers to additional relatives
outside the family.
Joining a Family
• A child can join a family in many ways.
– Biologically
– legal process
• Adoption
• Foster
A legal guardian is a person who is designated by a legal process to
assume responsibility for raising the child.
Adoption
• Is the legal process in which people obtain the permanent
right to raise a child who is not biologically their own.
• In the past, children were always matched as closely as
possible to their adoptive parents, with special consideration
given to their race, ethnic and religious background, and
physical characteristics.
• Now, the emphasis of adoption is on finding good homes for
children who need them. Matching the characteristics is no
longer considered especially important.
Foster Child
• A child whose parents or other close family members are
unable to care for him or her. Foster parents assume
temporary legal responsibility for the child.
Trends Affecting Families
• All families are affected by trends in the society around them.
– Mobility
• Many adults move away from the community where they were raised. Families
may lack close, supportive connections with extended family.
• Families must rely on themselves, neighbours, and close friends for support and
assistance.
– Aging Population
• People are living longer then they used to. People find themselves caring not only
for children, but also helping and caring for aging parents. This can create stress
as well as opportunities for intergenerational interaction – between young and
old.
– Fluctuations in Economy
• Families struggle to make ends meet. Finances are often the primary reason why
both parents in a nuclear family are employed. The pressure of finances have led
to families having less children/smaller families.
– Workplace changes
• There is a constant shift in the amount of jobs available at any given time. In such
a changing work environment, there is the demand to continuously learn new
skills.
– Impact of technology
• Can make life easier, and make life more difficult.
• Cell phones, internet are two technologies that are leading to less communication
and time for each other.
Review
There are four types of families:
1.
2.
3.
4.
nuclear family
extended family
single-parent family
blended family
There are four different ways to become a parent:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Biologically
Adoption
Foster
Through marriage
Your Task
1. Choose a tv show that portrays families.
Examples: Family Guy, Simpsons, Modern Family, Parenthood, etc.
ARE THEY REFLECTING CURRENT CULTURE OR FUTURE TRENDS?
Explain with examples.
Include:
• How are the gender roles portrayed?
• How do the roles in this family exhibit society's expectations
of roles within the family today?
• How do the roles portrayed in this family go against
society’s expectations of roles within the family today?