Personal Definitions of Family

1a

our personal beliefs about how families should be structured and behave.

1b

Professional Definition of Family

2a

definitions of “family” that are provided by professional organizations. Professional definitions of family may not reflect legal definitions.

2b

Legal Definition of Family

3a

according to the U.S. Census Bureau, “a family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together.” This definition is sometimes too narrow to encompass all the different family arrangements encountered by teachers.

3b

Traditional Family

4a

the family structure that is considered the norm in society at any given point in time.

4b

Nuclear Family

5a

a traditional family consisting of a husband and wife and their children.

5b

Extended Family

6a

the nuclear family as well as immediate relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

6b

Fictive or Affiliated Kin

7a

individuals with no biological or legal relationship to a family but who are nevertheless viewed as part of the family and are given family responsibilities. Fictive kin can include neighbors who care for children, Godparents, youth workers, and teachers.

7b

Normed Families

8a

families that previously were viewed as atypical but are now considered a part of “normal” American society. Normed families include single-parent families, stepfamilies, and adoptive families.

8b

Vulnerable Families

9a

families who, because of their life circumstances, experience financial, emotional, and physical stress that can impair their functioning and well-being.

9b

Homeless Families

10a

families that lack permanent housing.

10b

Working-Poor Families

11a

families whose incomes remain below the poverty threshold despite family members’ full-time employment.

11b

Emerging Families

12a

family arrangements that are becoming more visible and gaining recognition in American society.

12b

Families of Choice

13a

also known as network or friendship families, families of choice are formed when individuals who are not related join together to provide each other with emotional and / or financial support.

13b

Gay and Lesbian Families

14a

same-sex partners with or without children.

14b

Same-Sex Marriage

15a

recognized in a few states as the legal union between gay and lesbian partners. No state is required to recognize same-sex marriages, according to the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

15b

Serial Monogamy

16a

describes the series of monogamous relationships that individuals may experience over their lifetime.

16b

Multiple Partner Fertility

17a

refers to adults who have children with more than one partner. Multiple partner fertility may accompany serial monogamy.

17b

Covenant Marriages

18a

couples voluntarily enter into covenant marriages with the understanding that their state will grant a divorce only in a limited number of situations. Pre-marriage counseling also is often mandated as part of a covenant marriage.

18b

Household

19a

everyone who occupies a housing unit.

19b

Family Household

20a

a type of household in which at least one individual is related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption.

20b

Nonfamily Household

21a

a type of household in which a householder lives alone or with nonrelatives only.

21b

Parent

22a

from a legal perspective, a biological or adoptive adult. This definition stands in contrast to a professional definition of parenthood.

22b

Biological Parents

23a

parents who are genetically related to a child.

23b

Extended Parents

24a

relatives of a nuclear family who assume parenting responsibilities.

24b

Sociological Parents

25a

parents who assume the mother or father role even though they are not biologically related to a child. Examples include foster parents, adoptive parents, and stepparents.

25b

Professional Definition of Parenthood

26a

acknowledges the parenting role played by any adult who, regardless of their legal standing, cares and provides for a child. This professional definition often is at odds with legal definitions.

26b

Parenting

27a

child guidance practices used to socialize children.

27b

Authoritarian Parents

28a

these parents exhibit a high level of demandingness but a low level of responsiveness. They expect blind obedience from their children.

28b

Permissive Parents

29a

these parents make few demands upon their children and set few boundaries or rules.

29b

Authoritative Parents

30a

sometimes referred to as democratic parents. These parents are responsive to their children’s wishes and ideas but also demand that agreed-upon rules be followed. Children of authoritative parents exhibit responsible and adaptive behavior.

30b

Learning Environment

31a

any location in which children receive instruction and care. Learning environments commonly include public and private schools, non-profit and private early learning centers, and Head Start programs. However, they can also include other locations.

31b

Teachers

32a

anyone who receives a professional license from their state to teach and care for children.

32b

Formal Education

33a

characterized by a planned learning environment dedicated to helping children master educational standards.

33b

Informal Education

34a

the many informal ways that families support their children’s learning experiences in the classroom, at home, and in the community.

34b

Community

35a

a location defined by the quality of life provided through its institutions, services, cultural events, and the cohesion of its neighborhoods.

35b

Social Capacity

36a

a community’s social capacity is reflect in its ability to use formal and informal connections to provide for the physical, psychological, social, and material care of its neighborhoods.

36b

Social Capital

37a

the time and energy that families and communities devote to supporting the development of children and youth. Social capital can be used to support human capital.

37b

Collective Efficacy

38a

the ability of a community to mobilize its social capital to improve the lives of others.

38b

Human Capital

39a

While businesses raise economic capital, families, teachers, and community professionals raise human capital in the form of knowledge and skills. It is our human capital that prepares us for life as productive workers and community citizens. The types of human capital valued by a society can change over time.

39b

Community Scan

40a

An informal strategy that teachers use to assess a community’s social capacity.

40b

Family Systems Theory

41a

relationships are viewed as a series of social exchanges in which we attempt to maximize our rewards and minimize our costs.

41b

Family Rules

42a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. Family rules refer to the standards of behavior that govern life within a family system.

42b

Family Boundaries

43a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. Family boundaries function like gates in controlling the flow of information and social interactions between the family system and the outside world. Family boundaries are generally characterized as “open,” “closed,” or “permeable.”

43b

Family Equilibrium

44a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. Family equilibrium is defined as a state of normalcy where everyone in a family knows what is expected of them. Families attempt to maintain or return to a state of equilibrium after they encounter challenges to their family life.

44b

Family Climate

45a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. The family climate refers to the emotional environment in which family members live.

45b

Family Rituals

46a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. Family rituals include patterns of behavior and daily routines that give meaning to family life and interactions.

46b

Family Stories

47a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. Family stories are used to transmit family values and rules between generations.

47b

Family Myths

48a

a concept associated with Family Systems Theory. Family myths refer to those beliefs about family life that are not open for debate.

48b