Key Concepts:
Vocabulary: siblings, nuclear family, blended family, extended family, foster care, affirmation
Healthy Family Relationships
The Family Unit
Main Idea: There are many kinds of families, but all family members have certain responsibilities toward each other.
What is a family? The question isn’t as simple as it sounds. There are many different types of families. Family members may be related to each other by birth, marriage, or adoption. People in the same family may live together or separately.
No matter who is in your family, your relationships with them are some of the most important in your life. Family relationships have a strong influence on your total health. Healthy families provide support to their members and help children and teens develop the values and skills to become successful members of society. Being part of a strong family can also be an important protective factor for teens by helping them avoid behaviors that may put their health at risk. Ultimately, healthy families are the foundation of a healthy society.
Types of Families
When you think about families, you may picture your own parents or siblings, your brothers and sisters. To some people, the word family suggests a nuclear family-two parents and one or more children living in the same place. Although this is a common family structure in America, increasing numbers of children live in other types of families:
Single-parent families. These are families with one parent caring for one or more children. A child may live with one parent after a divorce or the other parent’s death.
Blended families. These families form when a single parent remarries. A blended family consists of a married couple and their children from previous marriages. The new couple may also decide to add to their blended family by having more children.
Extended families. An extended family is a family that includes additional relatives beyond parents and children. Relatives include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Some people live with extended family members.
Adoptive families. These families consist of a parent or parents and one or more adopted children. Some families have both biological children and adopted children.
Foster families. Foster care is the temporary placement of children in the homes of adults who are not related to them. Children may be placed in foster care because of problems like abuse. In some cases, foster parents may decide to adopt a child who has been living with them.
Family Interactions
In a family, each member plays certain roles and has certain responsibilities. In general, parents or guardians are in charge of meeting the family’s basic needs, such as food and shelter. Parents also serve as teachers in the family, establishing rules and setting limits to protect their children’s health and safety. They teach their children about the reasons for these rules, and teach the values and skills that will guide them in the future.
Children and teens, meanwhile, also have roles and responsibilities. When they are young, their main job is to respect the authority of parents or guardians. As they get older, they may take on more responsibilities, such as doing chores or caring for younger siblings. By taking on such tasks, teens can help the family run more smoothly and boost their own self-esteem.
Other relatives play a role in the family as well. For example, grandparents may help care for children and teach them about the family’s history. Aunts and uncles may serve as mentors and role models. Cousins who are close in age may be playmates and friends.
Your Family and Your Health
Main Idea: Your family members contribute to your health.
Being part of a family helps you meet your most basic needs. Beyond that, being part of a healthy family can strengthen all three aspects of your health.
Promoting Physical Health
The most obvious way your family promotes your physical health is by providing for your basic physical needs. Your parents or guardians make sure that you receive food, clothing, and shelter. They also promote your physical health by
Providing Medical Care. When you were young, your parents or guardians took you to the doctor when you were sick. They also made sure you got medical and dental checkups and necessary immunizations.
Setting Limits on Behavior. Do your parents set rules, such as how late you can stay out at night? The purpose of these rules is to promote your safety and health. For instance, setting a curfew can protect you from risky situations and also help make sure you get enough sleep.
Teaching Health Skills. In addition to setting limits on your behavior, your parents helped teach you the skills you needed to control your own behavior as you got older. They may have taught you basic safety skills, such as wearing a helmet when you ride a bike. They may also have encouraged you to develop healthy habits, like eating nutritious foods and engaging in physical activity.
Promoting Mental and Emotional Health
As you get older, you may rely less on your family to meet your physical needs. However, it is likely that your family still plays an important role in meeting your mental and emotional needs. For example, your family can provide a safe environment for you to express and deal with your emotions.
Family members can also give you love and support, helping to meet your need to feel that you belong. This sense of belonging, in turn, can help boost your self-esteem.
Your family can also help meet your need to feel valued and recognized by providing affirmation. This is positive feedback that helps others feel appreciated and supported. For instance, they can celebrate your achievements with you or show appreciation for the ways you help out at home.
Promoting Social Health
Your family also contributes to your social development. In the first few years of your life, family members helped you learn how to communicate and get along with others. As you grew, your family may have helped you learn other important social skills, such as how to cooperate with others and how to resolve conflicts. The social skills you learned from your family will help you make your own way in the world as an independent adult.
Values
One of the most important ways families promote social health is by instilling values. Parents play a significant role in helping children develop core ethical values including responsibility, honesty, and respect. Learning these values is a key to developing strong character.
Families can teach values in different ways. One way is by explanation. For instance, if two siblings are fighting over a toy, a parent might sit down with them and explain why it’s important to share. Teaching by example can be an even more powerful way to promote good values. Let’s say a parent is shopping with a child and receives too much change back for a purchase. By immediately returning the extra money, the parent teaches the child about honesty and fairness. Likewise, parents who demonstrate kindness and respect in their daily behaviors reinforce these same values in their children. By being positive role models, parents and other family members help children develop strong values.
Cultural Heritage
Families also promote social health by sharing their culture and traditions. For example, families may light candles together at Kwanzaa or enjoy a barbecue and fireworks on the Fourth of July. Sharing their culture enriches the lives of family members and helps them develop a sense of cultural identity. This awareness of being part of a larger culture can create important social bonds that extend beyond the family.
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