The Importance Of Childfree Families

In the article Childfree Families, Amy Blackstone and Amy Greenleaf describe the functions that childfree families display and explore the reasons behind their decisions. The authors determined these factors by conducting several interviews with various types of childfree families. Because of these interviews, the authors found that the way childfree families functioned was not completely different from other types of families. Through the way the authors describe the families’ responses, readers are able to determine how these families feel about being childfree. Although childfree families do not contain children of their own, they still deeply care for children in different types of ways. Because of the distinct ways …show more content…
One of the similarities that was found was the function of emotional and sexual support and companionship in families. Although childfree families experience emotional and sexual companionship, the quality of this factor is very different from other families. Because these families do not contain children, individuals in childfree families are able to focus their attention on their relationships with their partner. Another similarity that the authors pointed out was the “social reproduction” childfree families display. Although childfree families do not contribute to society through biological reproduction, most childfree individuals mentor their friends’ children or their nieces and nephews. Beyond personal connections with children, some childfree individuals are involved with children because of their professional careers. Around twenty-five percent of the individuals that were interviewed worked as therapists, social workers, counselors, pediatricians, or elementary or high school teachers. In conclusion, the authors stated that “childfree families fulfill nearly all the same functional purposes as families that include children”. Even with the slight differences, childfree families work very similar to other types of families by demonstrating social …show more content…
Although they had their differences, many of the childfree families functioned like families with children because of the emotional companionship and social reproduction they displayed. Through the interviews, the authors allowed the families to portray their true intentions and feelings about being childfree. Many of the childfree families in the interview were content with their lifestyle because they were childfree. Although the families did not contain children of their own, childfree individuals described the deep bonds and personal relationships they had developed for other types of