The Traditional Family

The Traditional Family
Family is an interesting subject to discuss, as the "traditional" family structure has definitely changed, for example, in 2011 the U.S. Census Bureau,
stated that 27.2% of American children under the age of 18 lived with one parent in 2007, in comparison to 1960, where around 9.1% of American
children who lived in single–parent families in 1960 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). Reiss (1981) stated that family shares world views, and together the
value and belief systems give the family a meaning in a social context. As human beings are social beings, family is important because, that is the
nucleus in where people learn their social cues and behaviors. Family communication has an immediate impact on the self– esteem of adolescents and
this is prevalent in many facets of adolescent life, specifically dating. Through looking at family communication standards, the standards by which
Caughlin conceptualized as specific ideal behaviors practiced in a family environment. Through family communication standards, individuals' judge
communication in families, these standards have 10 dimensions which are openness, maintaining structural stability, expression of affection, emotional
/ instrumental support, mindreading, politeness, discipline, humor/sarcasm, regular routine interaction and avoidance (Caughlin 2003). Looking at
family communication standards gives a base as to what ideal family communication should be; could family also play a role in the way adolescent's
view their own self–
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Traditional Family Values
Where do family values stand in today's world? There is the traditional family that make ends meet no matter what and more common today is the
modern family that take divorce like it is no big deal. Kingslover and White give great examples of what a traditional family is like and how the
modern family is taking over. The world makes it easy to deplete family values in this day and age but really divorce has been considered for
centuries. Divorce has become a regular occurrence and highly prevalent in today's society, which is focused upon and exemplified throughout the
essay "Stone Soup," whereas, traditional family values and permanent marital status is shown in "Once More to the Lake." "Once More to the Lake"
by E.B. White paints the...show more content...
The modern family is a family who associates with each other but they do not spend an efficient amount of time with each other as a priority and
often puts themselves before each other. According to Kingslover, "That it selfishly puts personal happiness ahead of family integrity." Kingslover is
talking about divorce and he puts it into practical words that makes others think about what divorce is. In today's world, divorce is very common and
is sad, because according to the Bible when the decision is made to get marries, the two people have to work things out. Matthew 5:31–32,"It has been
said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual
immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." This verse is what most people today
are doing. They are having sexual affairs with other people and then get a divorce and that is a sin. They also are looking to television shows as the
fairy tale marriage and expecting marriage to be just like what is shown on tv. Divorce was something taken seriously but now it is a common way
for people who want out. Sinning is very common today, from lying, stealing, adultery and murder. These are all sins that are becoming middling
each and every day. What kind of world is the world turning into? It is scary to think about and to think about what the world is going to be like in 25

Family As A Traditional Family
"Family"
Language constantly evolves and changes as it is adopted by different cultures. Consequently, words have many definitions, connotations and origins.
"Family" is a term that has changed over time; as a result the traditional definition of "family" is inadequate, and limited to describe the modern version
of the term. Our society tends to attach itself to the "traditional conceptualization of family" better know as a "nuclear family" which includes a set of
parents, and their biological offspring (Kompara). In America, known as a "melting pot" of all cultures and races, there are many implications for the
word family thus there is no such thing as a traditional family. The traditional definition, which is limited parents and their children, can no longer be
used to describe an American family because of our diverse and changing familial structures.
The word "family" dates back to the 13th century and is derived from Old French word famelie ("Family"). The word originally defined the
relationship of "group of people living under the same roof, household [including servants] (1337), group of people related by blood, lineage (1442–4),
a group of people who share a common philosophy (1658)" ("Family"). Growing up in a different country, my culture taught me an immediate family
only consists of a mother, a father and siblings. But in America it's not as simple because there are many variants of a family.
American families are the most diverse, encompassing gay/lesbian

According to Study.com, a traditional family is a family structure that consists of a man, woman, and one or more of their biological or adopted
children. Most men and women have goals of falling in love, getting married and raising children together. The U.S Census Bureau conducted
research in 2010 and discovered that there are only 20% of traditional families in the US. Most families share common beliefs, rites, and religions.
Generally, these families have the same typical daily schedule; the parents wake up, get the children ready for school, drop them off at school, the
parents go to work, leave work, pick their children up from school, have dinner, go to bed, and repeat the same routine.
The bigger the family, the less the parents...show more content...
Some of the goals and plans that single parents should focus on or something in the neighborhood would be stability: safe and affordable, personal
safety: freedom from domestic violence, family relation: connection with others; quality parent–child relationship, self–esteem; self worth, confidence
in skills; ability to re–enter education, training, employment and self discovery, vision; sense of control over one's life choice. Single Parent
families, like all families, have its strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately for families of single parents, financial strain is a heavily stressed
weakness with strengthening benefits. The reason I say this is because single parents have to provide for their family solely from one income. Now
you're probably wondering why that would be a strengthening benefit, well for starters, it challenges the parent to become stronger in terms of
financial distribution. I managed to interview a single parent mother, she stated that although it is a difficult task to do to provide for one's self and
their child, it has optimally made her a better person. She has learned to better manage her money all the while making on time payments for her house
as well as any expenses following that (electricity, water, gas, trash, etc.) and covering any costs associated with raising her child. Although,

Single Parent vs. Traditional Family Essays
Which behalf is the best side, the single parent versus the traditional family? A traditional family is defined or described as two parents working
together to solve anything that goes on in their house. The advantage of a traditional family is that they are going to have a more stable income that
will buy them a reasonable house or an apartment. "The traditional families have two parents, the mom and the dad, jointly raising kids with help and
advice from each other" (Magnier). An accustomed family also expresses their feelings towards one another and has respect among others in their home.
A dysfunctional family is usually described as conflicted adults living on their own. Although a dysfunctional family may sound inadequate, it is...show
more content...
Particular individual parents often enter schools to get a better job to support their child. Being a single parent, the individual can control how their
money is spent. The parent also does not have to worry about the other mate losing it by having a problem. "A single parent must have a flexible
job that allows her to leave work for sick children, doctor's appointments, parent conferences and school performances"(McGrath). If that parent does
not get a flexible job, then it will hurt the child in the long run. A solution to the flexible job is to maybe stay at home where an individual can work
from home and still get their expected income. On the other hand, a traditional family can easily handle their financial state. They have two steady
incomes to support their household and life. Single parents also have troubles with childcare. If their child is young, they will need somebody to take
care of that child. Traditional families do not have to worry as much. It is more of an outcome that the father is there if the mother is not. When an
individual has a child and they are a single parent, they have to pay attention to the child and the child's needs. There are few advantages for a child
living in a single parent home. They often get to live in two houses and fluctuate between houses. They get two holiday celebrations with the parents.
This kind of

The Traditional Family : What Is A Family?
What is a family? What is considering as a traditional family? Is it 2017 still part of that 'traditional family'? Many more questions are out there,
where many individuals are trying to interpret this brand new definition of family. The traditional family (which is also considered as a nuclear family)
seems as the father as the one who provides everything for the house, the mother as a housewife and the kids as regular students where they only focus
on their education. The characterization of a family has redefined over the years, where there is no such thing as a conventional family or 'perfect
family' as many people see it. Nowadays, the definition of family could be seen as a divorced couple with a kid(s), a couple of the same sex with kids
and even a single parent.
When a marriage gets to an end and there are dependents involved, there is a dissolution of a family. There was a period of time where getting
divorced was one of the strongest and difficult problems, and was considered as destruction. Since I was little I loved Disney movies and there is
one called Lillo and Stich. This movie has an inspirational quote which is "OHANA" and it means "family and family means nobody gets left
behind or forgotten". This quote gave me hopes for my future. It made me feel like I was going to live the Disney Princess experience of the
Happily Ever After, now I don't even believe in marriage because nowadays the percent of divorces are pretty high. In fact, there are cases where

Traditional Families Vs Single Parent Families
Traditional families versus single parent families. A traditional family household is a household with two parents, mother and father. A single parent
family household is a one parent household a mother, or father. This household is usually occurs when a parent dies, parents divorce, or the parents
was never married and separated after having a child together. The question at hand is would a child be more successful and mentally stable in life
growing up in a traditional family household, or single parenting household? This has been an intriguing argument for many years. I strongly believe
a child in a single parent home could grow up to be just as emotionally stable and also be just as successful as a child who grows up with both parents.
Many children in today's society have grown to become successful and mentally stable whether they had two parents, or one parent raise them. With
everything in life it is never about quantity, but quality. This could apply to single parenting as well. As long as a parent create a stable and nurturing
home their child will grow up to be a mature, hard working, independent, and loving adult. Family structure should not be the main focus when it
comes to raising children, the focus should be on the values and life lessons that are taught to the child as they mature in life. Family structure in the
last decade have change drastically. Children are being raised by same sex parents, grandparents, extended family, a single father, or a single

Traditional Functions Of Family Essay
Everyone is part of a family. Family, sometimes provide us with a sense of identity and sense of belonging. The definition of family, according to ,
is when two or more people are related by marriage or blood. Sociologists also define family as an institution. It is called an institution as it meets
social needs such as child bearing, basic necessities and economic resources. The traditional type of family is called a nuclear family. A nuclear family
consists of a mum, dad and their children. Although nuclear families are the norm and also more dominant here in Singapore, there has also been a
rise in alternative families. Alternative families are families that are not part of the social norm, such as a single parent household, blended families
and extended families. A family is also either dead, which means they are not changing or they are in a state of constant transition. This essay aims to
shed light on a few of the factors and theories that cause a family to be dead or to be transitioning constantly.
Functionalism theory talks about the traditional functions of family. Some of the traditional...show more content...
Industrialization led to nuclear families replacing extended families. This happened because industrialization caused social mobility, which led to
nuclear families separating from their extended families to seek jobs and to get economically stable.
Industrialization also caused a decline in fertility and caused the relationship between husband and wives, child and parent to change. This is due to the
economic changes that happened post–industrialization. As the economy increased, husbands' wages did not suffice the families' expenses and this led
to the women finding jobs outside the home. This caused the women to neglect their household chores and it also led to both parents neglecting their
children (Accampo, Fuchs and Stewart,

The Importance Of Traditional Family Values
Traditional family values comprise a number of different values and beliefs held in high esteem regarding family life. Chief among the values is an
emphasis on a loving, lifelong marriage, with the male as the breadwinner and the wife as the mother and homemaker. Traditionally, members who
follow these values oppose premarital sex, easy access to contraceptive information, and abortions, as most of these in some way or another are viewed
as sins. Prior to the 1970s, traditional family values didn't play a large role in American politics, and instead mainly influenced family life. Beginning
in the 1970s, however, this changed as these values became a catchphrase and political platform of the American right. From Ronald Reagan to Pat
Robertson, Conservatives couldn't comment on the "decline of the family" enough. How, then, did these values become such an integral part of of
political life, as opposed to remaining private matters? The answer lies in the 1960s. From the 1940s to the early 1960s, after both World War II and
The Great Depression, Americans were more eager than ever to establish families. Following traditional family values, these couples set a trend for
earlier marriages with a greater number of kids than those of Europe during the same time period. Consequently, divorce rates dipped as many families
found stability, peace, and love within these marriages. The heterosexual man of the relationship was typically the "breadwinner," working during the
day to provide

In today's generation there are many forms of family composition that contributes to how a society defines a family. There is the traditional family
where there are heterosexual parents and biological children. There is also the modern family where there is a broader combination, extended
relationships, and out of wedlock children. In entirety of all forms of family composition, a family plays an important role with a function that will
contribute to the society's equilibrium. Looking further into a smaller scale pattern of society, having a family is a significant component of every
individual's life. Family ties may bring in positivity, strength, and happiness but it can also bring difficult challenges. A conflict within a family such as
...show more content...
Moreover, the concern of the increasing divorce rate becomes even alarming when children are involved. The productivity and educational
achievement of a child can be affected if they experience a drop in financial income. Altogether, the growing number of divorcedmarriage affects all
the system of the society.
There are different angles that are covered making different propositions available to solve this issue. If a marriage always consists of unsettled
arguments and misunderstanding, the outcome of this conflict results into a negative effect on the family composition. As a married couple decides
to start a family, their obligations and decisions change because of the children that are depending on them. It is not just two people working to
better their relationship but now there are dependents involved and attached. An abrupt action like a divorce may cause a family composition to
break. There are many causes of divorce that turns into a complicated situation for both the parents and the children. The article called "The Origins
of Modern Divorce" states that "the obliteration of the process of divorce (and its frequently positive aspects) from the discourse of family reform is
once again threatening to restigmatize divorced individuals and their families" (Coontz 18; par.3). Divorced families are stigmatized due to the fact
that the process of divorce is a negative experience for both the

Traditional Family In America
In America the concept of the traditional nuclear family is forced on the population by means of the media, social media, and the educational
systems. The idea or concept of this is ideal family is a fallacy and no longer is a norm compared to the 1950's. "Only 48.4 percent of households have
a married couple; 20 percent of all households contain married couples who have children living with them" (Caruso & Timmermann, 2013). This
change means that the traditional family structure has evolved. America has a high divorce rate of an estimated 40 to 50 percent. Castelloe states, that
within the last 50 years there has been an increase in divorce, cohabitation instead of marriage, blended families both gay and heterosexual, and children
born out...show more content...
When children have issues at home, these issues affect other aspects of life, such as, education, mental health, and social abilities. Tendencies that are
different from social norms, may manifest themselves in a student's education and grades. Parents recklessly shove children into relationships, forcing
them to assimilate. This may be very problematic and detrimental to a child's mental and emotional health. Often, parents do not admit to needing help
with parenting and resolving issues. A common belief is that problems will work themselves out and it is just a matter of adjustment, this is usually false.
All individuals within a blended family, must contend with ethical, gender, economic, cultural, and educational issues, for example. Deep seeded
resentment, perceived unfair treatment, and lack of attention, may create instability and affect the entire family unit. These stresses can be too much to
bare at times, increasing the risk for divorce. To assist the family unit, alleviate some of these issues, family members should spend more time together
and increase communication. This helps create a solid

Traditional Approaches Of The Family
For this take home exam, the addressed questions will be number one, "Explain traditional approaches to studying the family. How have sociologists
evolved in thinking about the family? Discuss the role Engles and Parson played. Give examples of how you believe the study of the family has
evolved." as well as question number four, "Many of the conversations within this class have discussed the different types of family and parenting.
Discuss the major issues in parenting and the different styles. You may use examples from the American Family reader, class discussion and films."
These two questions were chosen based on their alluring and engaging information that is to be provoked from discussion of said topics. Within
question one, it is to explain the traditional approaches of the family. A main approach to traditional approaches to the family is the concept of the
"nuclear family". Within the late nineteenth century, the family was viewed as more biologically determined rather than influenced by social
constructs (p. 15; 2). The family was discussed as a structure that was only present to satisfy three needs: to bear and raise children, the length of time
children are dependent on their parents and the obligation of parental training and care (p. 15; 2). The initial approach is that family is based on the
importance of genetic and "blood relations", not so much and the emotional or physiological aspects of family structure. The approach stressed that
kinship is solely

Family As A Traditional Family
anguage constantly evolves and changes as it is adopted by different cultures. Consequently, words have many definitions, connotations and origins.
"Family" is a term that has changed over time; as a result the traditional definition of "family" is inadequate, and limited to describe the modern version
of the term. Our society tends to attach itself to the "traditional conceptualization of family" better know as a "nuclear family" which includes a set of
parents, and their biological offspring (Kompara). In America, known as a "melting pot" of all cultures and races, there are many implications for the
word family thus there is no such thing as a traditional family. The traditional definition of a nuclear family can no longer be used to describe an
American family because of our diverse and changing familial structures.
The word "family" dates back to the 13th century and is derived from Old French word famelie ("Family"). The word originally defined the
relationship of "group of people living under the same roof, household [including servants] (1337), group of people related by blood, lineage (1442–4),
a group of people who share a common philosophy (1658)" ("Family"). Growing up in a different country, my culture taught me an immediate family
only consists of a mother, a father and siblings. But in America it's not as simple because there are many variants of a family.
American families are the most diverse, encompassing gay/lesbian relationships, single parent

Stephanie Coontz in "The Way We Weren't: The Myth and Reality of the Traditional Family" emphasizes that the traditional and ideal nuclear family
widespread in media and textbooks are false and far from reality. In fact, it is common to see more similarities to the traditional family consistent of
"male breadwinner and nurturing mother" (1) today than in the past.
It is commonly taught in textbooks or shown in the media that colonial mothers are always taking part in childcare, but in reality the "modern working
women" (1) spends more time taking care of their children. During the hours that modern women are not working, they are usually taking care of the
children and doing household work to manage the household, in which the "traditional family" seems more fitting in categorizing the modern family,
rather than the colonial family. The colonial women did not have to worry about taking care of the children, because they usually gave the task of
caring for the children to the servants or older siblings. Moreover, the traditional family are usually perceived as a family where the husband and wife
are role models of a loving, caring, and supportive relationship for their children. This leads the children to act in the same positive way with others by
observing the relationship between their parents. Interestingly, the "traditional" families in the past were not traditional, as women and children were
advised to be obedient to their husbands, otherwise they would be abused and

The Pros And Cons Of Traditional Families
During the past six decades, the idea of the American family has shifted dramatically. The notion of the traditional family is typically defined as two
heterosexual parents in their first marriage with one or more children is no longer the norm and the way our health system views family must reflect
this. According to PewResearch , in the 1960's 73% of all American children lived within "traditional families" compared with 61% in the 1980's and
only 46% in 2013(Livingston, 2014). Increases in divorce rates and same sex couples with children have shifted our many cultural and societal views.
With the majority of American families consisting of something other than twos heterosexual parents, the definition offamily becomes life changing to
For many, the state's legal definition of family determines if a LGBT family may be able to receive a spouse's health benefits, be involved in
medical decisions, have hospital visitation rights, and have their access to the health system in general reduced. Less inclusive definitions of family
increase marginalization and polarization; reinforcing social stigmas, and promoting discrimination even with the healthcare system. Given the
current state of our political climate it has never been more clear that words matter; not only psychologically, but also in terms of the effectiveness of
our public policy outcomes. Despite cultural and religious objections from many, it is imperative that our health system recognizes and treats all
families equally. By having a less inclusive definition of family we will negatively impact the mental and physical well being of not only LGBT
families but families from growing variety of backgrounds. To improve the health of our healthcare system we must collectively not let our prejudices
limit our definition of family to legal and biological relationship and be inclusive to all American

Traditional Family Research Paper
I was raised to believe that family is the most important aspect of life, and that family should stand up for one another. I took this a step father and
said that friends are part of the family to. I was raised by a veteran and a mother who's side has family problems. Both of them raised me to stand up for
my sisters as if no one ever would.
The only story that I believe is close to this is one about my friend not about a member of my traditional family. It starts one day at school, one of my
friends was be bullied by some kids bigger than him. I decided that if no one stood up than what makes us any better, so I walked over and told
them to knock it off. It didn't go to plan though they picked on both of us. Until some more of my friends decided that this isn't right and stood up to
join our side. After, that the bullies, seeing them out numbered, walked away saying they won't be around every time. Right there I decided that friends
sometimes should be considered family, because we all need to stand up for each other....show more content...
I tell my younger sister that if anyone picks on her that I should be the first to hear about it. Thankfully, no one has the guts to bully her being a
football line men and a wrestler, and she's got the teams on her back. My older sister she hides it from me knowing the length I'll go though to defend
her and protect her. Few of my friends catch on that I consider them family, only a hand full show the same thoughts as me. When I see some one
disrespect their parents I grow angry at them and think that they should know better, but then I'm reminded that everyone is raised

Traditional Families In The 1800s
Families in History
There are many ways that the idea of the "traditional" family has changed over the past several centuries. For instance prior to the 19th century family
was often considered anyone who lived within a household whether related by blood or not. This included employees and extended family. "The
biological family was less sacrosanct, and less sentimentalized, than it would become in the nineteenth century." (Coontz 35) In society at the time it
was socially unacceptable to be separate and not included as part of a family household. Over time the term family came to encompass the immediate
family, a husband, wife and their children. During the late 1800's through the mid 1900's there were emerging ideas of family that were not widely
accepted as traditional or normal, these included single parent homes with only a Mom or Dad, Stepfamilies and...show more content...
Childhood was not considered a special time for development but rather a hurdle on the way to adulthood. "The goal was to get children speaking,
reading, reasoning, and contributing to their family's economic well–being as quickly as possible."(Mintz 50) Many kids as young as six were working
outside of the home at the time. A cultural revolution began in the eighteenth century when many middle class parents began to relish in their
children's innocence and saw this a time to nurture mold their children. As this form of parenting became the norm many parents began to have less
children by using birth control, thus giving the fewer children they had more of their attention. As time progressed kids spent more time going to
school rather than to work. "Within the last 3 centuries "Societal views about methods of Child rearing, the nature of children's play, the ideal duration
of schooling, the participation of young people in work, and the demarcation points between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood have shifted
significantly."(Mintz

Traditional family in today's society is rather a fantasy, a fairy tale without the happy ending. Everyone belongs to a family, but the ideology that the
family is built around is the tell tale. Family structures have undeniably changed, moving away from the conventional family model. Nowadays more
mothers work outside of the home, more fathers are asked to help with housework, and more women are choosing to have children solo. Today there
are families that have a mom and a dad living in the same home, there are step–families, and families that have just a mother or just a father. Probably
the most scrutinized could be families that consist of two moms or two dads. These are all examples of families and if all members are appropriately
Coontz points out that while Chile may prohibit divorce, between 1990–2003 marriages dropped from 100,000 per year to 60,000 per year. In addition,
since 2001 almost half of the babies born in Chile were born to unmarried couples, thus proving that banning divorce does nothing for society. The
question of what is causing the changes within families and marriage is of strong debate, which point in turn may be the answer. There are different
avenues of concern for many, such as diversity in families, single mothers, and even the problem of women becoming stronger as individuals and wives.
Looking at the modern family as diverse compared to early times is a bit hypocritical. In fact Coontz reminds us how diverse past times were
considering that polygamy was once an approved form of marriage. "...one man could marry several women, but in a few parts of Asia and India, one
woman might be married to several men" (446). Stepfamilies and single parent homes were more common in times past, although they were equal
among single–mother and single–father households. Range of diversity could also be as significant as past husbands coming together after the death of
their former wife, "In ancient Rome, men who had been successively married to and divorced from the same women sometimes chipped in to jointly
build her a monument after her death" (Coontz 447). With this knowledge it is fair to say that

My Family Traditions
My family has a lot of different traditions, but one stands out more than the others. The holiday I am talking about is Christmas. My family has always
celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. We start the celebration by going to our church's Christmas Eve service. During this service, we sing
Christmas songs and watch a video of the first Christmas. After the service, all my family goes to my grandparents' house to open presents and have
supper. The meal is different than most Christmas meals. All of my family members bring an appetizer instead of bringing a main dish. One of
my cousins is Haitian and one of uncles is Italian, so we have a lot of different cultures represented. My favorite is my uncle's meatballs. Once we
eat we have two different places to sit. One is called the kids' room and the other is the adult room. You are supposed to sit at the kids' table if you
are not married. Once we have finished eating we all head to the living room to open presents. Before we open presents, one of my younger cousins
reads a Christmas poem. A different cousin reads the story every year.
When it is finally time to open presents, we always open them one person at a time and always go from youngest to oldest. We go one at a time
because my grandma likes to see what everyone got. Once everyone has opened their presents, my grandma tries to recruit some people to play
bingo. She likes being the person who calls out the numbers because that's what her mom always did. We have been doing all of these things for as
long as I can remember. My dad says they have been doing things this way for the last 40 years. My grandma is the main person that has been carrying
on these traditions.
I would say my grandmother is the glue to our family so everyone follows her lead. I think that my other family members are so used to doing these
things that they will continue to do them in the future. I would say I am a participant in this tradition. I am one of the younger grandchildren, so I do
not say much or try to change anything. If I did offer a new idea, I do think my grandma would consider it. My whole family takes part in this
tradition. I have six aunts and uncles and twelve cousins, so my family is pretty big. Everyone

The Traditional Family

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The Traditional Family