While we know that family life is crucially important for the health of individuals in society, we also must be aware that life can look radically different from family to family due to other factors that influence family make-up. This does not mean that one kind of family is better or healthier than another; quite the opposite is true. The National Council on Family Relations defines this content area as “an understanding of families and their relationships to other institutions, such as the educational, governmental, religious, healthcare, and occupational institutions in society” (ncfr.org). In order to best serve our families, we need to understand how the different parts of our society affect the way they operate.
The National Council on Family Relations gives different examples of aspects of this content area, including structures and functions, marital choice, and cultural variation. These are just a few of the most common aspects of family life that come to mind when we think about how families are shaped by and interact with society. We need to make sure as family life professionals that when we think about and discuss this area of family life that we are remaining inclusive and unbiased, no matter what our own experiences or opinions may be.
The National Council on Family Relations gives different examples of aspects of this content area, including structures and functions, marital choice, and cultural variation. These are just a few of the most common aspects of family life that come to mind when we think about how families are shaped by and interact with society. We need to make sure as family life professionals that when we think about and discuss this area of family life that we are remaining inclusive and unbiased, no matter what our own experiences or opinions may be.
Academic Preparation
- Families and Diversity
- Social Problems
- Family Relationships and Gender Roles
An application paper examining the effects of military deployment on families from Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy.
|
|
Work/Volunteer Experience
- Intern at the Homestead
- Undergraduate Research Assistant
The divorce rate is high in our culture. My parents are divorced, and this has presented some challenges in my relationship with my mom.
Reflection
The idea that all families are – or even should be – structured the same is an artifact of the 1950’s. We know now that every family is different because every individual has a different story that makes them who they are today. When individuals come together to create families, they not only bring history with them, but they begin to create a new history together. This is especially important for family life professionals to understand. It would be ignorant to assume that we can help all families using the same programs and tactics. Not only does every family have its own history, but it has its own set of needs based on the societal contexts it develops in.
The theoretical lens which is most appropriate to analyze this content area in is Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model. The micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrosystems have a profound effect on today’s families. There is not a single family that exists that does not interact with each of these systems. For example, there are families whose cultural backgrounds are extremely important to their way of life. They have lived in microsystems that are rich in cultural history and practices. They move to America, and they find that they are often part of the minority, even of a subculture. The macrosystem of America is vastly different from the macrosystem of, say, a South American or Eastern European country. Families may find difficulty continuing to integrate the important aspects of their culture into their daily lives once they are submerged in a whole new culture whose priorities are vastly different from the ones they have grown up and developed in. This is just one small example of a situation that a family life educator would need to understand thoroughly in order to be able to offer assistance. If an educator was ignorant of a family’s background, they would be ineffective in helping them with any problems they may have.
This area is one that I unfortunately do not have extensive experience in. I personally grew up in a largely white, middle class environment. I did not interact much with families whose cultural backgrounds or socioeconomic status was different than mine. I think this put me at a disadvantage, because I assumed that all families should look the way that I wanted mine to look. Since being in college and taking classes that address these issues, my eyes have been opened to the reality of the diverse backgrounds of peoples and families around me.
The experience that has most affected my perspective on this subject is my internship at the Homestead Ministry. Working with women who come from vastly different backgrounds than my own has forced me to be aware of how deeply societal issues and contexts affect people’s development and life experience. Many of the women I spend time with come from backgrounds of abuse, poverty, and dysfunction. They were not offered the same privileges and chances that I was growing up. Many faced life circumstances and horrors that no one should have to face. It would be easy to see their situations as isolated. However, I know now that our society as a whole has drastically affected their individual circumstances. Unfortunately, our culture is saturated in sexual images that diminish the individual’s dignity and worth. Specifically, women are seen as objects to be used rather than people to be known and valued. This is why the demand for pornography and prostitution needs to be attacked, rather than the individuals who provide those services. No matter how willing they may seem, it would be ignorant to assume that individuals in the sex industry have chosen freely to be there. We need to understand situations like these in light of society rather than seeing them as isolated incidents.
The theoretical lens which is most appropriate to analyze this content area in is Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model. The micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrosystems have a profound effect on today’s families. There is not a single family that exists that does not interact with each of these systems. For example, there are families whose cultural backgrounds are extremely important to their way of life. They have lived in microsystems that are rich in cultural history and practices. They move to America, and they find that they are often part of the minority, even of a subculture. The macrosystem of America is vastly different from the macrosystem of, say, a South American or Eastern European country. Families may find difficulty continuing to integrate the important aspects of their culture into their daily lives once they are submerged in a whole new culture whose priorities are vastly different from the ones they have grown up and developed in. This is just one small example of a situation that a family life educator would need to understand thoroughly in order to be able to offer assistance. If an educator was ignorant of a family’s background, they would be ineffective in helping them with any problems they may have.
This area is one that I unfortunately do not have extensive experience in. I personally grew up in a largely white, middle class environment. I did not interact much with families whose cultural backgrounds or socioeconomic status was different than mine. I think this put me at a disadvantage, because I assumed that all families should look the way that I wanted mine to look. Since being in college and taking classes that address these issues, my eyes have been opened to the reality of the diverse backgrounds of peoples and families around me.
The experience that has most affected my perspective on this subject is my internship at the Homestead Ministry. Working with women who come from vastly different backgrounds than my own has forced me to be aware of how deeply societal issues and contexts affect people’s development and life experience. Many of the women I spend time with come from backgrounds of abuse, poverty, and dysfunction. They were not offered the same privileges and chances that I was growing up. Many faced life circumstances and horrors that no one should have to face. It would be easy to see their situations as isolated. However, I know now that our society as a whole has drastically affected their individual circumstances. Unfortunately, our culture is saturated in sexual images that diminish the individual’s dignity and worth. Specifically, women are seen as objects to be used rather than people to be known and valued. This is why the demand for pornography and prostitution needs to be attacked, rather than the individuals who provide those services. No matter how willing they may seem, it would be ignorant to assume that individuals in the sex industry have chosen freely to be there. We need to understand situations like these in light of society rather than seeing them as isolated incidents.