The Family Unit Misconception

I decided to write my second blog about the family unit in chapter 18. Family is important to everyone. I don't think anyone would argue against that but what a lot of people do not fully understand is that family does not have to be your mother and father. Close friends can be considered a family or relatives too. A family is anyone who you feel safe around and who care for your well being.

I have a mother and a father. I also have an older sister who is 24. I have a dog as a pet. The interesting thing about my childhood is that my parents did not really raise me. Both my parents worked high level jobs and were not home most of the day to raise me. My grandmother and my aunt were the two who raised me and took care of me during the day while my parents worked and my sister was at school. All of my childhood memories were with my grandmother and my aunt. Family is just a word used to describe a person or a group of people that you consider to be very close to you. I consider a group of my friends to be part of my family as well. The group of friends have been there for me in every part of my life and I for them.

There is also a societal expectation that children should be raised by a man and a women but that is a very false expectation. Gay and lesbian couples along with single parents have the same chance of raising children well as straight couple. It may be more challenging then a normal couple in some cases but I do not believe that makes them any less entitled to raising a child.  The success of a family does not depend on the family make up. It relies on the people that make up that family to make it work and succeed.


http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/family

http://family.lovetoknow.com/about-family-values/meaning-family