3. What is a
Understanding the Concept of
FAMILY
A. Anthropology
views the family as the source and carrier
of culture
B. Social Psychology
sees families as small groups with tasks to
successfully master
4. What is a
C. Developmental psychology
studies the environment within which children are
raised and grow into themselves
Understanding the Concept of
FAMILY
D. Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry
As the environment within which normal or
abnormal behavior begins, takes hold and
becomes the patterns enacted by children
5. What is a
The FAMILY
E. As the base for all members to experience
connection and belonging while each experiences
simultaneously the push toward autonomy and
independence
F. As the environment within which children learn
to know, experience and modulate their
emotions through relationships with attachment
figures
6. What is a
The FAMILY
G. As a system where the whole is greater than
the sum of the parts and where each individual
affects and is affected by every other individual
7. What is a
The FAMILY offers…
An experience of connection with
history
Stories of ancestors which offer meaning
and value to lives
A sense of identity through
identification with family members
8. What is a
The FAMILY offers…
A safe haven in which to relax and
experience acceptance and regard
A set of relationships within which one
experiences care and guidance and
the opportunity to care for and guide
others
11. Benefits:
• both of your parents
under the same roof
• support and stability
• Sharing responsibilities
• Don’t have to deal with
negative effects of
divorce
• Can have relationship
with both parents
Challenges:
• Being committed to
staying together
• making time for the family
• Finances/Paying Bills –
especially if only one
parent works
• Dividing up chores
Nuclear Family
12. DEFINITION: One adult who is raising a child or children
due to divorce-death-or never had been married
Single Parent Family
13. Benefits:
• strong bond with parent
• don’t have to worry about
parents fighting in the
house
• Kids learn responsibility,
become independent and
often mature faster
Challenges:
• the one parents may
have to work long hours
• less $ -only one income.
• You only have one adult
in home and are missing
either the mom or dad
that is absent
• Less supervision for kids
• Stress on parent –
children
• Difficult going back and
forth between homes –
different expectations
etc…
Single Parent Family
15. Benefits:
• more people around to
shared the chores
• more going on
• you have both a mom and
a dad under the same roof
• possibly better financially
Challenges:
• hard to adjusting to the
new parent
• Discipline by “step”
parent
• Hard to get used to new
siblings – sibling rivalry
• Hard to bond as a new
“family”
Blended Family
16. Definition: Several generations living together – more than just –
mom, dad, kids… could include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins…
Could also be another they – single, blended, dual career etc…
Extended Family
17. Benefits:
• More adult role models
• More people to help out
around the house
• Bonding with more family
members
• Activities going on
• More supervision for
children
• Carrying on of traditions,
culture, customs through
generations
• Could provide financial
help
Challenges:
• Less privacy – space –
crowded – lots of sharing
• Confusion about who is in
charge – rules etc…
• Could be a financial strain
• Parents attention could
be more divided
• Some relationships may
be difficult – tough to get
along all the time
Extended Family
19. Benefits:
• Cool to learn about
different cultures – if child
is from a different culture
• Possibly child is
“rescued” from foster
care
• Child is “chosen” is
wanted
• Helps people who are
unable to have children
Challenges:
• Expensive to adopt
• Child may wonder about
past/family of origin/
culture etc..
• Child may have hurts
associated with family or
origin
• Adapting to new family,
new environment can be
difficult on all
Adoptive Family
21. Benefits:
• No expense of children
• More freedom to do what
couple wants – travel,
etc..
• Work on personal goals
• More time for
hobbies/interests
• More time for friendships
outside the home
• More time together as a
couple
Challenges:
• Work can become all
consuming
• May have conflict if one
wants children and the
other doesn’t
• Stress associated with
fertility issues – if wanting
kids but unable
• Stress associated with
not meeting the “norm” in
society
• May have regrets when
older and no
kids/grandkids
Childless Family
22. Definition: Both parents work - either full time or part time – can be
nuclear, blended, extended…
– The average dual-career couple works away from their home a combined 18.2 hours a day.
Dual Career Family
23. Benefits:
• more $ and less financial
stress.
• family may be able to travel
more and get more “things”.
• children may be able to have
more opportunities that cost
money
• The kids learn to be
independent and do some of
the house jobs
Challenges:
• Parents may be gone more
and there may be less
supervision
• Finding childcare can be
difficult
• Husband/wife may struggle to
balance work and home –
shopping, discipline, chores
etc…
• One spouse often feels
overburdened
• Family is very busy
• when home parents may be
tired and stress from work may
spill over to home
• they may miss out on some of
their kids “things”
Dual Career Family
24. Definition: Living alone OR living with one or more other
single person. Sharing resources – caring for each other –
having fun together.
Single Living/ Group of
Friends
25. Benefits:
• Sharing bills, rent etc.. –
less strain financially
• Sharing household jobs
• Support of roommates/
friends
• Can move out – freedom
to make a change
• If by yourself… time
alone, freedom to come
and go, no one to answer
to, independence,
Challenges:
• Different opinions about
how things are to be done
• Sharing household jobs
• Financial stress – dividing
up bills, rent, etc…
• Annoying habits of
roommate
• If by yourself…
loneliness, financial
stress, paying all bills,
doing all housework etc..
Single Living/ Group of
Friends
