Free Custom «The Family» Essay Paper

The family refers to a group of individuals residing under the same roof andhead. Thepeoplecan share a common ancestralbackgroundorlineage. The family has many forms but, it iscriticalto look at the nuclear and single parent families. Nuclear family refers to a family group constituting one ormanychildren with two parents thatare married. The parents in the nuclearfamilycan be biological parents or adoptive ones. A single parent family refers to a family in which daily responsibilities ofupbringingof a child or childrenare metby one parent. Children in a singlefamilyspend much time with that parent.

Single parent families are under a primary care giver (mother) or asecondarycaregiver the (father). Single parent familiesare causedbydivorce, separation, unplanned pregnancies, adoption or deaths. In the event of a divorce, custody battles by the court or other termsdeterminewhom the children are tostaywith the coming days (Jack 12).

Family structurestransformwith time andcircumstancesjust like biological organisms. Familieswere closely relatedto social duties and other responsibilities to relatives and werelarge. As people moved to developing towns to seek employment in industries, they lived with their relatives who were already in town. One effect of the revolution was toextendnuclear families. Families in olden days werehighlynetworked in lines of social obligations. There lackeda statewelfaretorelyupon in those days. The currentmodelfamilywas thesecludednuclear family. Families in the olden dayswere networkedalong lines of social obligations. A comparison between the networking of today’s families and those in the past raises a number of questions.

 

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One of the social changes in the past couple of years of the twentieth century was a move away from traditional family structure. The traditional family structure consisted of a married couple with their children staying in a home. Householdsare dividedinto two according to the United States census bureau. The two divisions of households include family households and nonfamily households. Family households,are definedas groups comprising two or more individuals living together related bybirth, adoption or marriage. Nonfamily householdsconstituteof a person living singly or with other people whom they share nolineage. Family households have lessenedsignificantlyin percentage from the 1950 to 2000.

In 1950, family households represented 89.4 in percentage of all households. The number declined to stand at 68.1 percent in 2000. As family households, diminished non-family households are gainingprevalencedue to several factors. The rise in nonfamily households could be attributed to the postponing of marriage until later years inlifeand living with non-relatives. An alarming divorce rate has resulted into many people living alone or with other people of different backgrounds. Lastly is the living longer ofoldmembers who live in nonfamily households as widows or widowers.

Fifty percent of children in the United States lived in a family with one parent at somepointbefore turning eighteen years. The number of single parent families has been increasingconsiderablysince 1950. In the 1950s, women’s roles included bringing up kids and making thehomewhile the husband provided for the family and was theheadof a relationship. According to Coontz 45, womenwere not entitledtotakeloans or credit cards in their own names.

The number of single parent families has been increasing swiftly (Helen 45). These types of families have a number of difficulties and other farfetched disadvantages. The complexities include issues with deer day care,shortageofampletime with children, balancing of home and workingplaceduties. Single parent households headed by mothersare facedwitheconomicconstraints than those headed by fathers. Majority ofsinglefathers have bigger incomes than single mothers. Because single mothers earn little they face a numbereconomichiccups on the families headed by mothers. Because of law incomes, single mothersare compelledtodedicatetheir time into overtime shifts to make up for the meager salaries.

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Mothers working during overtime shiftsdenytheir children parental closeness and guidance. This leaves childrenproneto juvenile delinquency and otherunlawfulpractices. Since parentsare not foundin homes, theytakechildren todaycares. The high costs indaycares are other challenges facing single parent families. The relief that couldcomewith the subsidizing of day care expenses by the government has not been achieved. In the year 2002 men, single parent families earned less than $30, 000 in a year. While two parent families earned a salary higher than $75,000. Children under secondary caregiverswere not registeredwith insurance health covers.

According to social scientists, children growing in single parent families arehighlydisadvantaged than those of two parent families. The problem of poor economic situation of single parents puts children at risk of; loweducationalachievement, chances of becoming teen parents, drug and alcohol abuse among other malpractices. Heads of single parent familiesare disadvantagedsince there is nobody to share with on matters regardingfinancialdecisions anddisciplineof children.

The regarding of other families defiant deters the proper understanding of the family. There are advantages associated with single parenthood. When in a two parent household, oneis necessitatedtocooperate, compromise with own priorities and arrive at decisions consensually.

Mothers or fathers of single parent households make decisions withoutinfluenceor pressure from other parties. Single parent households provideexclusiveopportunities of comprehending all aspects of parenting because theyplayall roles. Parents ofsinglehouseholdsare compelledto becomeexcellenttime managers for them to perform duties at work and home.

Children from single parent families learn self-dependence and the ability toundertakedoing household chores. In single parent families, all children can love aparentsincenoneis posingcompetitionfor attention in the family. According to child rearing manuals of the past, parents divided responsibilities among themselves. Mothers could breast-feed their children to a reasonableagewhile fathers fended for their needs. In the case where an unmarried woman bore achild, the womanwas leftwith the biggest role in taking care of the baby regardless of her age. Presently, when ayounggirlgives birth, her parentstakeup theresponsibilityof providing for the baby. The help offered in helping bringing up children sired out of wedlock has contributed to the prevalence of teenage parents.

On the other hand, nuclear families have privileges and disadvantages. The familyis entitledto financial stability since every member of the couple mustcontribute, there can beconsolationfrom another party duringdistressor lowliness. Its disadvantages include lack of support in the event of a disagreement between the two parties something that cannothappenin a single parent family among other disadvantages.

In the colonial timesmarriagewas seento be abusinessdealing, and there was noconsiderationof love. Marriage required heirs to be produced, obtaining of titles and other properties.In the colonial America was acompletepartnership with both parties in a couple having specific roles to play.Ages of marriage in colonial America varied from one group to another. Immigrants did not do an example, early marriage until such a time they reached 21 years. Men who wanted to marry sought permission from their fathers during this period.

Marriage has profoundly changed in present day America. Todaymajorityof couples in Americaaremadeup of onemanand one woman. In present marriages, consultations with parents come at a latertimeor even do not. Presently in America couples meet, love each other,participatein sex andeventuallyget married. Today’s marriages do notpreparea couple socially well. In the colonial times, themarriageprepared men and women because their dutieswerewelloutlined.

Concisely it iswrongtoconsidersome families natural and others defiant. This is because both families have advantages and disadvantages. It could also be traumatizing to be in single parent household, due todeathof apartnerandgetacutecriticism. Thisperceptionshould not be allowed and should be banished by relevant authorities.