Analysis Of The Patterns Of My Family

Throughout time, families have experienced several different transformations in family roles, relationships, and communication style. Families can be challenged with a drastic shift in members and relationships. For example, many families have faced one or maybe multiple divorces and a remarriages, stepparents and/or siblings, members who have been ostracized or cut off, and overall tension between members of the family. I am fortunate enough to say that I have not experienced any of these common occurrences. Although my familial line has not encountered severe relationship issues, I am still able to notice many patterns throughout three generations of my family. The Genogram made me aware of the roles and relationships of my family, the different …show more content…
Everyone in my family is Caucasian, of European decent. No one in my Genogram strongly identifies with any ethnic group. This pattern goes along with the theory that we tend to date and eventually marry those similar to us, or homogamy, which includes race and ethnicity. This pattern has been true throughout history, although interracial marriages are becoming more common (Seccombe, 2012). The second pattern I noticed in my Genogram in the fact that nearly everyone is Christian, with exceptions of a few people (Keith, Michael, and Ryan). Although the three do not consider themselves religious, they do not have a contrasting religion such as Hinduism, Judaism, or Atheism. According to an article in Christianity Today, children typically adopt the religion modeled by their parents. The author writes that for a parent to successfully pass the religion on, they must model it to their children (Ziettlow, 2013). In my family, the parents were typically successful in passing their religion onto their children. The people who did not adopt Christianity entirely typically did so by choice, rather than lack of modeling from a parent, which is shown by Ryan and Keith, who both have parents and siblings who are affiliated with Christianity. Michael took on religious idea of his father, who he is closer to, and does not have a religious affiliation. The third pattern that stood out to me was the lack of the typical “bread winner and home maker” roles throughout my genogram. Each woman is in the work force, although Pamela, Charlene, and Louise stayed home for some time as their children were growing up. “Mothers with older children are more likely to work than are mothers with younger children” (Seccombe, 2013, p. 275). This was true for most of the woman in my