The Structure-Functional Perspective Of My Family

A family is a group of people who care and love one another, and their love and appreciation for one another is reflected in the emotional support they give; at the surface level a family is also a unit of relatives related either through blood, marriage, or guardianship. A family protects one another, as well as contributes qualities to make other members’ lives better and healthy. My family fits this definition because we identify as a family more so than the technical outline of basic kinship. My immediate family is a structure of support, supplying care and necessities to each individual member in unique ways. The way my family can fit this definition is because the dynamic of a family is constantly changing, and thus the definition can …show more content…
In my opinion, a family is strong because of the relationships within them. The dynamic of my family is a result of the effort we put in individually. My first theory to support this is my mother. My mother was extremely abused by my grandmother, as were all of her sisters. Abuse is commonly repeated throughout families, and my extended family is not necessarily an exception, however my mother is. My mother never laid a hand on me save a subtle spanking when I was a toddler. She has always handled our issues in a non-abusive manner, and although I do believe hurt people hurt people, I think everyone has a choice. Because of the choice my mother made to not be abusive to her children regardless of her abusive past, the family relationship between child and mother is more peaceful and healthy. Additionally, many ex-spouse relationships end with anger and hatred. My mother and her long-term ex-boyfriend, and the father of my half-sister, have a strong friendship. Furthermore, him and my father are best friends, and my sister and I both have a close relationship with him. To create a loving family environment is not easy, however it is the effort and dedication put into making the relationships better and more loving, and learning to forgive one another for the mistakes or hurt we have caused. My mother and I did not get along when I was a teenager. We fought an unhealthy amount, and said horrible things to each other. However, we always managed to put it behind us, apologize, and forgive because losing our pride for one moment was not worth losing a healthy relationship with each other forever. This is what I admire most about my immediate family. As shown in my genogram, there are many members who are abusive or cut-off from each other. You can see that within my immediate family, each and every member is very close, and that is reflective of the individual relationships that build