March Blog Post

            I come from a colorful family. We have different political, religious, and sexuality backgrounds. Some of us have chosen fur babies instead of human ones and others have enough children to fill a minivan. Things we have in common: we are all pretty loud and we all share... probably more than any person should share with another human being: facts, health problems, poorly-executed dates. For a long time, I thought many families probably acted similarly to ours. However, it has been (obviously) brought to my attention that this is not the case. We dove into this a little more during this course and I found many aspects of our Family & Culture section to be fascinating. However, out of all of it, I would say our discussion of family structures was probably the most eye-opening.

            My immediate family is a very “cookie-cutter,” “traditional” nuclear family. Mom, dad, older (protective) brother, little sister. I knew other styles of families existed, since my maternal first cousin is an only child. However, our class discussion that couples who chose not to have children may not be recognized as a “family” was mind boggling to me. I have always considered “family” to be anyone who was in “I would file off my pinky finger for you” territory. Gory, I know, but necessary for the explanation.

In a blog I found discussing the author’s discovery of her own meaning behind “family,” she quoted another writer who said, “I consider a few friends more family over blood relatives” (Cortes par. 5). This concept of “voluntary kin” is very prevalent in my family, as well so it resonated with me. Not to mention, we have plenty of four-legged fur babies in our family that are just as much family as our other blood relatives.

It troubles me that the idea of the “nuclear” family is the recipe some people feel is what is needed to be recognized as a family. There are so many different styles of relationships and I personally believe that the closeness you feel with the person next to you and their understanding of your most inner thoughts and feelings is what constitutes family over anything else.

Cortes, Denise. “Are You Still a 'Family' If You Don't Have Kids?” BabyCenter Blog, BabyCenter Blog, 3 Apr. 2015, blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/3312015-are-you-still-a-family-if-you-dont-have-kids/.