Your Ideal Family - Essay Example

Ideal Family al Affiliation Ideal Family I come from the traditional Chinese family where parents are very protective and supportive of their children from birth until adulthood. I am from Beijing, China and am the only daughter of very enterprising and loving parents. My parents have constantly relayed that they only want what is best for me. As such, they allowed me to pursue higher education in the United States since it has always been my fervent dream to study abroad. My ideal family is that which is composed of loving and supportive parents to siblings who are raised in a wholesome and productive environment.

As the term ‘ideal’ meant “satisfying one’s conception of what is perfect; most suitable” (Oxford University Press, 2014), for me, an ideal family should be balanced; meaning, aside from the presence of both parents, siblings should be at least two. But due to China’s one child policy which was previously mandated as a means to prevent population explosion, my parents adhered to the rule. Therefore, being an only daughter did not fit my definition and concept of an ideal family. I would have wanted at least one sibling to share childhood experiences and a common bond to express the love, caring and support that I received from my parents.

From my personal perspective, I strongly believe that some forces that affect families include internal and external forces. Internal forces are the values, beliefs and philosophies of each family member, as individuals, that shape one’s personality. Of course, I affirm that each individual was raised in a different familial environment which makes experiences and belief systems distinct and unique. Likewise, external forces that affect families include the political system, economic and financial condition, social factors (how people within the community related to each other), technological factors, and environmental factors.

All of these factors have affected my family. For the social forces, it was emphasized that the following factors were noted to affect families: education, housing, employment, childhood cultural trends (Ryan, 2014). For instance, internal forces, which were described as the value systems of each of my parent, have affected the way I was raised. My father had been more of a disciplinarian and exhibited a more authoritative style. In contrast, my mother is very democratic in her parenting style.

Therefore, there were instances where my father and mother expressed contrasting views on the way to address some concerns and issues on raising me or in solving problems. The perfect example was the decision to pursue higher education in the United States. Initially, my father had apprehensions to send me abroad for fear that I would be exposed to a totally new culture and a new environment. On the other hand, my mother first asked what my personal and academic goals were; and she supported my decision to study abroad.

Thus, when we discussed this matter as a family, the alternative options were laid out as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Therefore, we all finally agreed that it would be to my best interest, especially for my future, that I pursue higher education in the United States.Overall, I love the family that I have. Although, in my perception it is not ideal, I still believe that I am fortunate to have been born with supportive and caring parents who have signified unconditional love all through my life.