Family relations

Family is the basic social unit. Family represents people living together by ties of marriage, blood or adaptation, thus (таким образом) representing a single household.

Family is a one bond almost everyone in the world shares. Family patterns vary from country to country. In some countries, for example, the grandparents are the family leaders. In other countries, many families live and work together as one on community farms.

There are many different types of families. Most families are traditional, comprising a father, mother and one or more children. Some families are headed by one parent, usually a woman. In a few families there are no children. These childless couples may believe that they would not make good parents: they may want freedom from the responsibilities of child-rearing, or, perhaps they are not physically able to have children. Other families have one adult who is a stepparent. A stepmother or stepfather is a person, who joing a family by marring a father or mother.

Families serve many functions. They provide a setting in which children can be born and reared. Families help educate their members. Parents teach their children values – what they think is important. They teach their children daily skills, such as how to ride a bicycle. They also teach them common practices and customs, such as respect for elders and celebrating holidays. Some families provide each member a place to earn money. The most important job for a family is to give emotional support and security. Families give us a sense of belonging and a sense of tradition. Families give us strength and purpose. Our families show us who we are.

Unlike their parents, many single adults today are waiting longer to get married. Some women and men are laying (задерживать) marriage and family because they want to finish school or start their careers; others want to become more established in their chosen professions. Most of these people eventually will marry. One survey showed that only 15 percent of all single adults in the United States want to stay single. Some women become more interested in getting married and starting a family as they enter their 30s.

One positive result may come from men and women marring later. People who get married at later ages have fewer divorces. Along with the decision to wait to marry couples are also waiting longer before they have children, sometimes in order to be more firmly established economically. Rearing a child is costly. Some couples today are deciding not to have children at all.

Old people are always saying that the young are not what they were. The same comment is made from generation to generation and is always true; it has never been truer than it is today.

The generation gap is a gap between the views of the younger generation of teenagers and the views of their parents.

These days, grown-ups describe children as «difficult», «rude», «wild» and «irresponsible». Only some people say that they will grow up to make our country a better place.

When parents and teenagers do argue (спорить), usually it is about simple things. One survey found that the most common, reason parents and teenagers argue is because of the teenager’s attitude (отношение) towards another family member. Another common reason for arguments is that parents want their children to help more around the house. The third most common basis for arguments between parents and teenagers is the quality of the teenager’s schoolwork.

Arguments which involve drug or alcohol use occur is a much smaller group of families. Most parents said they were happy with the way their children are growing up.

I think that parents should try to protect their children from possible bad influences and give them clear guidance about right and wrong. There is no way to predict how today’s children will turn out. Keeping faith in kids is necessary. They are not bad. They are optimistic. They expect to have a better life than their parents’. And grown-ups – if they are prepared to admit it – could learn a thing or two from their children.

In my opinion, in a perfect world, families would have no problems. Strong, happy families share some patterns whether they are rich or poor, black or white. Strong, happy families spend time together. Strong families also talk about their problems. They may even argue, so that problems can be resolved before they get too big. Members of strong families show each other affection and appreciation (любовь и признательность). Members of strong families are also committed to one another and they tend to be religious. Finally, when problems arise, strong families work together to solve them.

Today, however, families are changing, but they are not disappearing. People accept that strong, happy families come in many sizes and shapes.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14