You never know what the normal family looks like and when you look back into history you see and understand that families are all alike in that they are ever changing. There is no right or wrong way to truly define what a family structure looks like because every family is different and throughout history we have seen how the image of a family structure has evolved. Yet, interestingly enough families seem to evolve together and are similar through the greatest time periods of our history. From the nuclear families in the United States and England to polygamy in the North American Indian population there were similarities, but other vast cultural differences. It seems that when people began migrating to the United States there was an impact on their culture as well as their family structure. Many were influenced on how a family should or could be and adapted to the society of the time.
2) Mention of any new, interesting, or unusual items learned
I didn’t realize that there was such a thing as the Companionate Family. I guess that I always thought that there was a mutual love for your family regardless or how you got married. I guess, I just wasn’t expecting it to actually have a name or term associated with today’s family. It was interesting to learn that we have grown as a society and can have the option to fall in love and get married and start a family. Also, that family can be affectionate and loving with freedom. It’s a choice of love now rather than a smart economic decision.
3) Identify at least one question, concern, or discussion angle that is either problematic in some respect or could have been elaborated more
Since, gender roles have changed so quickly for women, how have the roles of men changed? (i.e. As husbands, as providers, as fathers, etc.)
Brian Bitner
I feel that the roles of men have changed in the way that today, they perform more household duties then say, 60 years ago. As providers, I don't think that the role has changed much because the majority of families still have fathers/husbands who are the "breadwinners" but the pressure of that role has decreased due to the fact that the mothers/wives usually have a job as well. As fathers, I believe that there are no set responsibilities or rules because everyone is different and that extends to their parenting style.
ReplyDeleteI think the gender roles for men have defiantly changed. I think there are a lot more women who are the breadwinners for the family and the men are the "stay at home dads." I was actually just recently watching an episode of Desperate Housewives where the father was layed off and it forced the mother to go back to work. The father now had all of the "motherly" tasks to fullfill. This brought tension to their marriage because the man felt as if he had been emasculated and stripped of everything that made him a man. I think that there is truth behind this example. I think more families than we think are in the same situation. I beleive a lot of women are the breadwinners and a lot of men are stay at home dads. I think a stay at home dad is a dramatic change from 60 years ago when that was not even heard of.
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