We are all Family

 

    When you think about what a “traditional” family in America looks like a vision comes to mind and based on your age or where you are in your life this may look different. However, When you google “traditional family” the definition that appears is  “a family structure that consists of a man, woman, and one or more of their biological or adopted children. In most traditional families, the man and woman are husband and wife.” I think the fact that we can put the words “traditional Family” into google and this appears is concerning.

    For so many years their is this notion that a family is supposed to look and be a certain way and this could not be further from the truth. Families are not always built this way. Their are many families that are single parent households, homosexual households and children who are biological or adopted. Some core family structures include the grandparents and or other relatives or even friends. I think that resisting the idea that a traditional family must be a certain way is imperative to the development of our society. Family looks different for everyone and I think it is time that we get rid of the word traditional and start just saying family. Using the terminology traditional is limiting and automatically assumes that a family structure is built the way the definition above describes it. Rather just referring to families as families and understanding that each family looks different from the other is much less limiting and creates a fluid and healthy view on what family is. This should start at a young age by teaching children that all families are different and that maybe the way our family looks is not the same way our friends or other families look. This can be done by having open conversations with the child and or reading material such as the children's book we were shown to help illustrate and teach about different family structures. By starting the conversations young we can then develop the next generation to be the change to ensure that we change what we mean by “traditional” families and move away into family being something we choose and create and there is not one right or wrong way a family should be or look.