Family

Family as it says in the American Heritage dictionary "is a fundamental social group in society typically consist of one or two parents and their children". The family sometimes has difficulties and obstacles, but some families go thru them successfully. We all have families, no matter how they are compose we share some characteristics that make a family. For example: living in the same roof , sharing the same values and goals, etc. Some families try to assemble themselves as better as they can so they can accomplish the thought of an "ideal" family. But, what is actually an "ideal family"? I will discuss the actual definition of family and my own perspective; also the views of some sociologists according to their theories of a family.

First of all, the family for me is a group of people which actual intentions are to get together for usually a long period of time and share many things together. For example: they share a house , an economy, an emotional feeling and of course a promise to help each other in good and bad situations. Family in America is sometimes an issue, even though all Americans are looking forward for an "ideal" family. The issues in the American families are many, but specially the divorces and separations in which they end up with a single parent being the head of the family alone. The word "ideal" means a honorable or worthy principle or aim, in this case a perfect family. I think an "ideal" family is the one that stays together no matter what, of course they respect one another and understand that each one is a different person so they work together to fulfill their individual needs. What I mean is that as a family one will help another when need it and then the other will do the same.

Secondly, there are many sociological views about family but the one that has the best approach is the functionalist perspective. Functionalists believed in a theory that the family is a positive institution. They hold the view that meets well with the needs of an advanced industrial society for a geographically and socially mobile workforce. Functionalists highlight the ideal family type in a modern society, as the nuclear family. The view of the nuclear family comprises of a breadwinner husband and dependant wife and children. US sociologists in particular have developed this approach, in particular Murdock, Parsons and Goode. Critics have accused the functionalist view of the family as ideological in tone and representing a conservative stance. Some feminists' highlight the Ð''family ideology' presents an image and ideal of family life that does not represent real experience, particularly that of women, whom feminists see as oppressed by the family. However, they defend the claim that the functionalist view of family life is shared by many people, if not only as an aspiration. The nuclear family is seen as traditional and positive. Of all the sociological views of the family, the functionalist approach presents the most positive view of them all.

Finally, the "ideal"