Sunday, May 11, 2014

Article of the Week #14: The 'Normal' Family

I’ll be straight up with you all. This article is short, sweet, and to the point… kind of. I know most of the kids say that “my” articles are too long, too hard, and too disconnected from your daily lives. Well, yes, they are all of those things, on purpose. Why? Because sometimes “easy” isn’t good. Just trust me on that one.
BEFORE YOU GO ON, TAKE THIS POLL!


This week we are taking a different approach. We’re talking about family and the perception of family. We are also looking at acceptance. We did just celebrate Mother’s Day, didn’t we? I’m not even sure who to buy cards for anymore. seriously, I have no idea.


In it, the term “family” is used to describe many different living situations. There’s a divorced dad, who is now remarried to a woman who is younger than his daughter, and who brought with her a child of her own. There is a gay couple with an adopted daughter, and there is a heterosuxual couple with three kids and a house with a white picket fence. So, which one is “the” family? Are they all families? Together, do they make one, big family? I guess it all depends on how the term “family” is defined. The casual viewer might not think about the dynamics involved, but, for today, we should.


“Family” has several definitions today. Listed below are some common definitions of family, and some I just find to be hilarious. See if you can match the definition with the correct source.



Definition
Source
  • A bunch of people who hate each other and eat dinner together.
  • A family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together.
  • A group of people related to one another by blood or marriage
  • A group which possesses and implements an irrational commitment to the well-being of its members.
  • Oxford Dictionary
  • Urban dictionary
  • Urie Bronfenbrenner
  • US Census Bureau
If you really think about how YOU define family, it brings to light a host of issues. Why do you define family the way you do? Does your definition of family change based on your gender, religious affiliation, age, country of origin, sexual orientation, or current living situation? In a larger context, consider how your definition of family affect those around you. Are same sex couples considered a family? What about if they have kids? What about heterosexual couples who are not married but have kids? What about a single mother or father and his/her children? What if the child of a same-sex couple in your class and you stand up and say they don't make a family?

As you read this week’s article, consider what it truly means to be a family, and, even more so, what your definition of a family says about you and how it affects those around you. Also, think about how the definition of family has changed in America over time.




Sincerely,
Markstone

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