Family Structures Image of a Family Our image

Family Structures

Image of a Family § Our image of a family may come from: ►Our own family ►Television ►Movies ►Your friend’s family Most families do not show “real” life to outsiders

Family ►Consist of two or more people living in the s same household that are related by blood, marriage or adoption.

Functions of a Family ► 1. Provides for the physical needs of family members, including sharing of economic resources ► 2. Nurtures the educational needs including literacy, mental, vocational and social skills. ► 3. Meets the emotional needs of all family members, including the need to feel loved and accepted.

Single Person ► May live alone or with roommates ► Maintains bonds with family members or close friends if have no living family

Single Person ►May come and go as they please ►Time to devote to one’s career and interests

Dink Family or Couples ►Dink – Double Income, no kids ►Time to focus on just each other or their careers ►Careers of the individuals could conflict with each other

Nuclear Family ►A mother and a father and their children ►Sometimes referred to as the traditional family

Nuclear Family ► Household and child care responsibilities are shared ► Children receive the support of both parents ► Have an example of both the roles of mother and father on a daily basis

Single-Parent Family ►An adult with one or more children. This family structure is growing in the United States. ►Single-Parent families exist because of divorce, death of the spouse, or never being married.

Single-Parent Family ►Some provide all the income for the family and manage all the household responsibilities ►The adults need contact with other adults and the children need contact with individuals of the absent parent.

Extended Family ►A family where grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents and children all live together. Not as common today as in the past.

Blended Families ►A husband wife, at least one of whom has a children from a previous marriage. ►Adjustments must be made by both children and adults.

Adoptive Families ►A family in which the children are not the biological children of the couple. ►The adopted child takes on the family’s last name and has all the legal rights that a birth child has.

Legal Guardians ►A person who has the financial and legal responsibility for the care of the child. ►Parents may have died ►Parents not able to care for the child

Foster Family ► Takes care of the children on a temporary basis. ► Children may be awaiting for adoption ► Need a temporary place to stay because of family problems ► Usually licensed by the state

Stages of the Family Life Cycle

Starting as a Couple ► Time to get to know each other ► Time to learn to think and act as a team ► Must work out a relationship with extended family members and friends ► Need to discuss the following: § § Housing and Furnishings Education and Careers Money Children

Parental Stage – Expanding ► New members are added to the family ► Most of the family time is focused on the children and home life ► Children additional expenses to the budget § Child Care, Medical Care, Food & Clothing

Parental Stage – Developing ►Children enter school and have more activities that focus outside the home ►Family pace is often very busy, especially as the children move into their teen years

Parental State – Launching ► Occurs when the children start to leave home and be on their own ► For some families, older children return home before the youngest have left ► Over one half of the adults, ages 20 to 24 live with their parents

Middle Years – Empty Nest ► Family becomes a couple again ► Some parents feel lost and without purpose and others enjoy their new-found freedom ► Now have time to enjoy hobbies and special interests ► Many parents at this stage now have to care for their elderly parents

Retirement Years ► Some look forward to this stage, others do not ► Their career usually ends and many have no interests to fill in the time ► Must adjust to aging, health problems and lower income ► Some discover simple pleasures they had never thought of before

Benefits of Family Living ► 1. Satisfy physical needs – including food, clothing, shelter and medical care ► 2. Source of protection – protect you from harm or danger

Benefits of Family Living ► 3. Provide long-lasting relationships – will always have a sense of belonging ► 4. Source of love and affection – these bonds of love and affection last a lifetime

Benefits of Family Living ► 5. Provide support and encouragement – ties in families are strong, they want you to succeed. ► 6. Provide companionship – similar backgrounds and interests. Build ties that remain strong even through change