Olsen, Fuller Chapter 2:
Families and Their Functions - Past and Present
The Evolution of the Family
Families at each point in history
have their own sets of family values
family functions. These developed in
response to social, political, and
economic environments.
Early History
Prehistoric Families
Greek and Roman Period Families
European Medieval Families
Renaissance and Reformation Families
The Age of Reason
The Industrial Revolution
Colonial North American Family
American Industrialization and the Family
The Great Depresssion and World War II
1950s to 1970s
Summary
What has changed has been the cultural matrix that families function within.
Families react to the problems and dilemmas in society and then their reactions cause new dilemmas.
No matter what time period, families have two responsibilities toward their children.
Protect from threats to well-being
Educate them to be productive members of society
Contemporary U.S. Families
Single-Parent Families
Mother most likely to be custodial parent.
Most stereotyped structure.
Unmarried Mothers
Twenty and over
Those who chose to get pregnant
Older, more affluent, better educated, not in position to marry.
Well-thought-out decision, may involve many options.
Those who did not plan their pregnancy
Does not mean those children are not loved or wanted.
Early 20s, not as well off financially and educationally
Teen mothers
Give birth to approximately 11% of children born in US each year
Problems include lack of maturity and financial resources
Many often live in poverty, are unemployed, have low-level employment skills, have narrive educational backgrounds, and have limited parenting skills.
Has led to skip generation parenting.
Maternal grandmothers raise the young mothers' children,
Patterns of Divorce and Remarriage
Single-Parent Families: Divorce
Children go through grief process.
57% of all female-headed households have annual incomes below the national poverty line.
Inadequate nutrition
Medical concerns
Lesser quality of physical and emotional environment that families with adequate resources have.
Stigmatization
Called a broken home even though little research to prove academic achievement differences of children of divorce and children from intact homes.
Some true differences: children more comfortable talking with adults, everyone assumes more responsibility, and children may receive more praise of good grades.
Blended Families
Occur when single-parent families remarry.
Also called stepfamilies or recoupled.
This type may eventually become the largest family structure.
Most misunderstood.
Single-parent home is more similar to the infact home than a blended family.
Intact and blended most alike in appearance.
Important to udnerstand the facts and myths of blended families.
How families function
Functional Families
Effective communication patterns.
Recognition and respect.
Appreciation.
Religious or spiritual orientation.
Ability to adapt.
Connectedness.
Clear role definition.
Time together.
Dysfunctional Families
Addiction
Control
Unpredictability and fear
Conflict
Abuse
Perfectionism
Lack of diversity
What is important is not the appearance of a family, but how it functions.