Family
Question: Describe five types of families. KU 15PTS
Oxford dictionary defines the family as “a group consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit”. Wikipedia defines it as “a group of people affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence/shared consumption” and also Miriam Webster- Thesaurus defines it “as a group of people who are related to each other” but, my definition of a family is a group people living together usually consisting of a mother and or father with a child or children.
Types of Families
Families are found all around the world. There are several different types of families but, the five most common are adoptive, blended, extended, nuclear and single parent families
Adoptive Families
Adoptive families or foster care families are families that consist of a mother and or a father who has either adopted a child from out a foster care or from either a relative or a friend (see figure 1). This typically happens when the parents can’t have any children of their own so they decide to adopt a child. When a child or children gets adopted it allows the child or children to sometimes get better opportunities, it also provides them with a better way of living. Although those are some advantages there are also disadvantages for this type of family which range from expense due to the application process and also the incompatability because sometimes the child or children especially older ones may come from situations that make it hard for the child to adjust to the new home.
Blended Families
A blended or step family is a family with two parents (male and female) where either parent or both bring a child or children from a previous relationship (see figure 2). This type of family is formed when either parent has a divorce or has died. It consists of a mother and or a father and the child or children from the previous relationship. Living in a blended family allows the step children to sometimes