Healthy Family Relationships

Objectives 2.0-2.02

Teen Living

Nuclear Family Father, mother, and their biological child(ren)

Blended Father, mother, and their child(ren) from previous relationships

(The Brady Bunch) Extended

Father, mother, child(ren), aunts, uncles, grandparents, other family members (The Waltons)

Single-Family Father or mother, and child(ren)

Foster Temporary home for child(ren) in need of safe place to stay;

Parental rights may or may not have been terminated Adoptive

Permanent home for child(ren) whose parents can no longer take care of them. Parental rights have been terminated

Family Structures

2.01 Factors Affecting Family Life

A. Miscommunication B. Self image C. Family crises D. Social issues E. Culture F. Responsibilities and rewards G. Types of families H. Role expectations I. Personal values

Families Should not cover for other family members

who have problems (enable) Work together to solve problems Get professional help when needed Look for positive outcomes in all types of

situations; sometimes bad things can have a good outcome

Challenges to the Family Drugs/Alcohol Abuse

If one family member abuses drugs/alcohol the whole family will be affected

Codependency Allows someone else’s problems to control your behavior

Physical/Emotional/Sexual Abuse Never justified

Divorce Frequency in the US in the last 20 years has increased Teenage couples have a higher divorce rate than others

Crises Almost always bring change of some type

Conflicts Can Occur

When family members disagree with one another

When families merge or become blended (step-families)

Death of a family member

Teens Assume fair share of home responsibilities

each person should contribute to the total needs of the family

Family members can share responsibilities taking turns doing various chores

If a parent loses his/her job, a teen can help by getting a part-time job Just make sure you maintain a balance between

work, rest, and play

Respect

If you live in a small house or share a home with a large number of family members, remember to knock before entering closed doors, respect each others privacy

Leave a note for others or write your schedule on a family calendar to show good communication skills

Functions of the Family

Setting limits and teaching children appropriate behavior is part of the socialization process Children have to be taught right from wrong

Family Life Cycle Basic stages that families go through in life

Stage One: Single young adults leave home

Stage Two: New couple joins families through marriage or living together

Stage Three: Families with young children

Stage Four: Families with adolescents “Sandwich Generation”

Stage Five: Launching children and moving on “Empty Nesters”

Stage Six: Families in later life “Retirement, the GoldenYears”

2.02 Ways to strengthen family life

A. Active listening B. Skill development C. Response to crises D. Technology E. Resources

How to Strengthen the Family

Share your feelings with your family about issues and problems you may be having