Family

What is a family? How you answer that question will probably depend on the type of family you experienced growing up, since different cultures, regions, and even individuals have radically differing views of families. However, almost everyone can agree that the family is an essential and important component of a healthy society (1).

The smallest family unit is the nuclear family. This definition limits the family to the parents and children. A more distant relative is not considered to be as important in this understanding of the family. As a result, in the nuclear family is experienced primarily through the child’s interaction with his or her parents.

Another and more inclusive definition of family life is the extended family. This understanding of the family emphasizes the importance of another relative and, most often, multiple relatives. The household or family community can include parents, grandparents, a sibling, aunt, uncle, cousins, etc. These families have been most common throughout history. In many cultures today, especially in Africa and Asia, facts show the extended family is the traditional family unit.

Sometimes blending families is necessary. This can occur in marriage when an individual family member marries a spouse who also has a family. Sometimes a blended family results from a crisis, like when one family moves in with a relative following a disaster or an economic upheaval. Other times blended families simply results from the parents falling in love. It’s estimated that nearly half of all families are blended in some fashion.

In Western society today, the question of gay families has been debated. While sometimes gay men and lesbians have children from a previous family, in other cases the gay parents want to adopt children or have them through different partners or outside means. The debate of gay families has become heated and even political. The long term effects of gay family life on children aren’t available, even though families with a gay dad or lesbian mom are more common

Many cultures, with their emphasis on hospitality, treat others, especially good friends, like family. Sometimes, a family will even go so far as to adopt a friend into the family, especially if his parents are deceased or unable to care for him.

Finally, religious groups will sometimes speak of their followers as members of a family. Christianity is especially full of family language, for example, referring to believers as brothers and sisters of Jesus and as sons and daughters of God. This stems from the teaching of Jesus that anyone who followed him became a part of his true family(2).

Thus, family can have many meanings depending on your background and perspective. However, what is most important is that you grow in love with your family.

If you have family advice or more information on families, please share them in our comments. You may even want to give a shout out to your own family. Click “post to Facebook” to share it with the world.

1. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/gashc3779.doc.htm
2. Mark 3:34-35