MARRIAGE & FAMILY

Marriage & Family

Marriage & Family

Introduction

Children need help to cope with their grief when a parent dies. The surviving parent is usually the main person who must provide the help a child needs in coming to terms with the death of the other parent. However, often the surviving parent is so involved and even incapacitated by their own grief that support from friends and relatives proves essential. It is important that all those close to a bereaved child should be able to discuss how it was and how it is. Children need to have the facts and the feelings surrounding their loss confirmed often; for this reason it is also important to listen to what they have to say. They will probably need to hear and discuss things over and over again. In this case study we analyzed the death of a spouse affects parent/child relationships coupled with adjusting to living alone.

Discussion

Multiple definitions of family exist depending on the theoretical orientation of which it is being explained. Interactionist defines family in terms of interacting personalities with emphasis on the family's transactional characteristics. Family is defined according to the general systems theory as a small open social system composed of a set of highly interdependent parts and affected by both its internal structure and external environment (Weishaus, 1979). Family define as two or more persons who are joined together by bonds of sharing and emotional closeness and who identify themselves as being part of the family. This is the most conclusive definition of family which includes a variety of families including those outside the legal system, not related by blood, marriage, or adoption and not restricted to household membership. This definition includes the extended family living in two or more households, cohabiting couples, childless families, gay and lesbian families, and single-parent and nuclear families (Sanders, 1980).

Nuclear or conjugal family

Nuclear or conjugal family is the family of marriage, parenthood, or procreation; it is composed of a husband, wife, and their immediate children; natural, adopted, or both. Family of orientation or family of origin is the family unit into which a person is born. The extended family is the nuclear family and other blood related persons, who are most commonly members from the family of orientation of one of the nuclear family mates. These are "kin" and may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and cousins (Horowitz et al, 1981).

Family Patterns

The purpose of the family unit is to meet the needs of the society in which it is a part of and to meet the needs of the individuals in it, thus occupying a position between the two. The family system is the main learning context for an individual's behavior, thoughts, and feelings. According to Friedman et al the family is the most vital context for health growth and development. Health of family members and the quality of family life are closely related and influence all members of the system (Sanders, 1980).

The extended family is the most commonly used concept ...