The American Family
The American Family
Family Patterns
The US has many different types of families. While most American families are traditional, comprising a father, mother and one ore more children, there are families headed by one parent, usually a woman. In a few families, like everywhere else, there are no children. Other families in the US have one adult who is a stepparent. Americans tolerate and accept these different types of families. In the US, people have the right to privacy and Americans do not believe in telling other Americans what type of family group they belong to. They respect each other’s choices regarding family groups. Americans show great concern about the family as an institution. Many of them say that there are too many divorces, they worry that teenagers are not obeying their parents, they are concerned about whether working women can properly care for their children. Furthermore, they worry that too many families live in poverty. In addition to this, newspapers, motion pictures and TV shows often highlight difficulties within families: family crimes, problems and abuse become new stories. Families serve many functions. They provide a setting in which children can be born and reared. Families help educate their members: parents teach their children values, daily skills, common practices and customs. The most important job for a family is to give emotional support and security. Families in a fast-paced, urban country such as the US face many difficulties. American families adjust to the pressures of modern society by changing.
Changing American Family
When Americans consider families, many of them think of a “traditional family”, where the father goes out and works and the mother stays at home and rears the children. The biggest change in families is that most families today do not fit this image. The most common type of family now is one in which both parents work outside the home. Even women with young children are going back to work.
Family Patterns
The US has many different types of families. While most American families are traditional, comprising a father, mother and one ore more children, there are families headed by one parent, usually a woman. In a few families, like everywhere else, there are no children. Other families in the US have one adult who is a stepparent. Americans tolerate and accept these different types of families. In the US, people have the right to privacy and Americans do not believe in telling other Americans what type of family group they belong to. They respect each other’s choices regarding family groups. Americans show great concern about the family as an institution. Many of them say that there are too many divorces, they worry that teenagers are not obeying their parents, they are concerned about whether working women can properly care for their children. Furthermore, they worry that too many families live in poverty. In addition to this, newspapers, motion pictures and TV shows often highlight difficulties within families: family crimes, problems and abuse become new stories. Families serve many functions. They provide a setting in which children can be born and reared. Families help educate their members: parents teach their children values, daily skills, common practices and customs. The most important job for a family is to give emotional support and security. Families in a fast-paced, urban country such as the US face many difficulties. American families adjust to the pressures of modern society by changing.
Changing American Family
When Americans consider families, many of them think of a “traditional family”, where the father goes out and works and the mother stays at home and rears the children. The biggest change in families is that most families today do not fit this image. The most common type of family now is one in which both parents work outside the home. Even women with young children are going back to work.