What Is A Family? Essay

There are a multitude of different definitions of the word “family”. There is not a set definition of what a family must look like, or how a family should behave. When it comes to families there is only one thing that truly matters, and that is love. Whether it is a non-traditional family, such as a single-parent, gay or lesbian, or a cohabiting, or the stereotypical “traditional” family of a married man and woman with a few biological children, the members themselves are not the what matters when it comes to families. A family is determined, not by color, size, marital status, or sexual orientation, but by the love the members have for one another.

“family” lacks a single formal definition, so the word can be defined in man ways.Family can

What’s the meaning of family? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary family is defined as “all the descendants of common ancestor”, but is that how do you define family? Have you ever had someone in your life outside of your family that you were able to confide in? Share your happiness and saddest moments with? Be your biggest advocate? If the answer is yes, then these people are considered family as well. Channeling personal experiences I’m able to relate to Cecile Gilmer’s believe that “Families are not only blood relatives but sometimes just people who show up and love you when no one else will.”

Family is an important aspect of society. Keeping a family stable is a hard task and the definition of family has expanded from what it used to be because nuclear families are not the norm nowadays. Throughout history the African-American family has had to face traumatic events such as slavery, the Great Migration, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Civil Rights Movement. The racism, segregation, and discrimination that followed these movements have also played an integral role in developing the black family. It takes diligence, strength, and courage in order to be able to persevere through hardship. Society as a whole has tried to undermine the black family by implementing in them a false identity of inferiority. If there are strong nuclear black families today, that means that powerful people in history have been forced to step up in order to make a difference within their community. From the beginning of the play to the very end, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun displays the vital theme of family. In the play there are multiple generations within the Younger Family’s household. The different generations come to show how the African-American family has had to evolve over time. A Raisin in the Sun highlighted the difficulties that families have in order to be able to overcome poverty, aspirations, and the society.

According to the dictionary family is a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household. Or family is from the descendants of a common ancestor. According to society family is a group, it can be related are not. My definition of family is anyone who is there for you through good and bad, someone who always have your back no matter what. Family is not just blood. However some of the best families are the ones you are not related to.

What is a family? There are numerous ways to define “family”. For example, in 2001 The United States Census Bureau’s definition of a family states: “A family consists of a householder and one or more other people living in the same household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption.” Nevertheless, families come in several forms of ages, races, and ethnic background. Same sex couples weren’t considered a family, even if it was legal in many states. Years later, in 2015, The Supreme Court ruled to legalize same sex marriages in all fifty states. Other than same sex couples there are other types of families such as affiliated kin, interracial, traditional, extended, childless, and nuclear families. These families are

Family is typically seen as something that is defined by genetics and the idea that blood is what makes a family. This could not be less true. In today’s society family should not be defined by the blood that runs through your veins or your last name, it should be the amount of love that exudes from your heart. Whether you were born into a family, adopted or in the foster care system, your family members are the ones who you share moments of love and joy with, not just a last name.

Families are changing in various ways. In the articles “What is a Family?”, “Absent Fathers: Why Don’t We Ever Talk About Unmarried Men?”, “Cohabitation Instead of Marriage”, “Ballad of a Single Mother” and “Children of Gay Fathers”, they all share and show different ways families are like worldwide today. They speak about how they feel about there relationships with there family and children and who they are as a person. The new American family unit brings with it many struggles that have now become common components within the fabric of modern-day America.

Determining family structure and dynamics as well as defining the family is a complex process. Personally, I come from a very traditional family. Much like the assumptions made by the students in the article Defining Family: Young Adults’ Perceptions of the Parent-Child Bond by Mellisa Holtzman (2008). This is what comes to mind when most people define family; a nuclear family, with married parents, and biological children. However, a family is a complex system and can take on many different forms.

The word family means everything you could ask of a person and more. The real definition of family is, “a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household”. This definition of family is not the one a use. Family to me is everyone who is there for you, blood or not. I consider my close best friends as family because they are always there, and I know I can come to them. I also consider most people who are related to me by blood family. However, since I don't talk or really know my biological father, I don't consider him as a part of my family and I never will. I think it's important for people to know that you are able to choose your family and block out those that you know you should. The best thing to do is to make sure

The definition of family to society is; all the descendants of a common ancestor, however that definition is wrong in my opinion. Family means a special bond or connection between a person. You can be yourself and can trust them with all your heart and soul and never challenge or question their loyalty.

A family can be defined in many different ways and almost every person has their own view and definition of families. Some may define it as simply as the blood relatives they have grown up with, living in the same home for most of their life. Whereas others, including myself, have a much more in depth or personable definition. No matter the culture or living situation, my definition of a family is the people I know will be there for me whenever I need them to be. This includes not only my actual blood related siblings, parents, grandparents and cousins but also my best friends and even some of my parents’ close friends that I have known the majority of my life. Family should not be defined by blood. I have an aunt that was adopted which means she is not blood related, but I still fully consider her family, I believe this has an impact on my own definition of a family. Television today has changed the views and stereotypes on American Families. Stereotypes include the family having a mother and father living in the same home where the mother is a stay at home mom, while the father makes a living for the family. Also the family is usually Caucasian and considered wealthy, living in the suburbs. The shows such as Full House, Good Luck Charlie Keeping Up With The Kardashians have had a major impact on how societies view families in this day and age because of the way they follow these American Stereotypes.

For most of us, the family is considered as a well-known and comfortable institution. The perfect model of the ‘ideal’ family is still mostly considered to be consisted from two different sexes’ parents, and one or more children. Until quite recently, the sociology of the family was mostly functionalist and just in the last few decades has been challenged from various directions.

A family can be defined in many ways, but the common denominator in all is the love and fulfillment one gets by being surrounded by family members. Families can sometimes be at odds with each other, but the strain of this type of relationship usually creates an upsetting feeling to the people involved. People want others to rely on, talk to, do things with, share, love, embrace, and be part of. No matter what the family dynamic is the qualities the word family has will remain the same, as time goes by, and life evolves once again for every person living their

According to Swartz and Scott (2009), family is defined as a group of people related to each other by blood, marriage, adoption or being sexually open in a relationship. The