Family Dynamic

We have so many different family dynamics in the world it's hard to define a normal family dynamic. Many parents or even children ask themselves this question. I have also personally asked this question, but there is no simple answer. Since there can be such broad definitions of the term normal. Still, there are several characteristics that are generally identified with a well-functioning family. Some charastics are support, love and caring for other family members, providing security and a sense of belonging, open communication, making each person within the family feel important, valued, respected and esteemed. In Lauer & Lauer or in “Marriage and Family in America”, it talks about how we are all personally bias towards what a normal family dynamic should look like. It goes on saying we will use are own experiences from when we were growing up in our own families. I find that very interesting that we can all form our own opinions and thoughts and technically they will all be right. I know I have almost the same thoughts on what a family dynamic should look like with those in my same faith. In my faith we have the, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World’. Stated in it, it says, “Husband And Wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live.” For me those guiding characteristics for a family is very comforting to me. And I know it can be very comforting to many others in my faith. It’s based off of love and care for a child and raising them to be a law-abiding citizens. Being part of a family is a great blessing. Your family can provide you with companionship and happiness, help you learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and help you prepare for eternal life. So most of the family dynamics in our church is the father as the main provider and provides security for the family.  The mother is usually the one whos stays home with the children to care for them and to teach them. And the children are there to learn and be an example to the younger children. I’m not saying this is a perfect family dynamic, because there are always different dynamics of a family that are perfect or “normal” to them. Some dynamics in a family can lead to some frighting statistics. Such has having a father abandon his family, that child has a seventeen percent increase of committing a crime. If that child is raised in a abusive or neglective home may stunt physical development of the child’s brain and lead to psychological problems, such as low selfesteem, which could later lead to high-risk behaviors, such as substance use. Infants in foster care who have experienced no parents in early caregiving can develop attachment disorders. Attachment disorders can negatively affect a child’s ability to form positive peer, social, and romantic relationships later in life. I read these statistics and I feel so blessed to have two loving parents growing up. I know many people who only grew up with one parent and they say that it didn’t affect them to bad growing up. And they are some of the best friends that I have. They were not part of this statistic and they would say a normal family dynamic doesn’t need to have two parents. I think it just comes down to growing up with love and support as a child.