Definition Essay: What Is Family?

If the question “what is family?” was asked to a group of people, many different answers would be given. This is because the word family is too broad and therefore does not have a concrete definition. However, there has to be some settlement to a basic generalization about family which can be described as blood related, marriage or adoption. People have their different views but there is an early conception of family. For example, in kindergarten when kids are asked to draw a picture of their family, it usually includes their mom, dad, brother, sister and pet(s) in front of their house. This type of family described by the kindergartener would be referred to as a nuclear family. Families can be classified as nuclear; consisting of a husband,
Furthermore, when I was asked to interview ten people of different age, ethnicity, etc, they all had similar responses. I was astonished because my initial thought of family like said previously, is a mom, dad, brother, sister. However, all these responses went beyond and not said just blood related, but basically anyone who has been by their side all along. My mom defined family as “family to me is more of a feeling or emotion than a noun. It is a bond, a strong tie to a group of people who love, nurture and understands each other. Groups who support one another and help each other grow, learn and thrive. These people do not have to be blood related; family means the people in our lives with whom we depend on.” My mom being in her late 40’s, I got a similar response from the total opposite; a 15 year old African American. He defined family as “family is a group of people whom you will always have in your life no matter what happens. You go through the good, the bad and the ugly, but always helping each other and nothing can separate you. Even if you leave your family physically, you will always have an emotional and/or spiritual connection to them.” The other people I interviewed were my aunt, my math teacher from high school, a theology teacher from here at Creighton, an 18 year old boy from Columbus and a few friends. A functionalist perspective looks at how families contribute to the society. In the text Essentials of Sociology by Henslin, it says a family fulfills six needs that are basic to the survival of every society; economic production, socialization of children, care of the sick and aged, recreation, sexual control and