Work-Family Connections in Modern Family Show - Assignment Example

Ideally, “Modern Family,” involves the main character Jay and his family with the developing of conflicts constantly observed in the family on matters about work-family balance.

First, the family lacks sufficient economic resources as the members live in the suburban areas of Los Angeles, a region meant for the middle–class society, currently in the struggle to make it to the upper class. Additionally, the family is constantly involved in wrangles and family conflicts, mainly associated with limited resource availability and distribution. One aspect worth noting with the family is the aspect of the gendered division of labor. Jay, who is the head of the family, struggles to provide for his big family, which comprises his second wife, who also works though for limited pay, and, therefore only takes care of her two children, a stepson, an infant son, two adult children, their spouses, one couple of which comprises same-sex individuals, and children.

Jay and the two adult children all struggle with menial jobs to make ends meet for the provision of the family's basic needs, while Jay’s second wife, despite also working, only takes care of her children while the other adult children’s spouses, work on the housekeeping duties. Considering how big the family is, with a tiny house, the house is rarely clean, with a large number of members as well as the struggle between the adult females in the house about the person to clean the house contributing to the house untidiness.

The lead characters are individuals of 20 years and above, among whom conflict is constantly witnessed. There is no frail elderly individual in the family; however, Jay’s stepson is constantly in a wheelchair because of broken limbs from an earlier accident. From the TV show, work is presented favorably as a factor towards the contribution of provision of family’s basic needs. However, the family is presented negatively as, despite the effort put in by Jay and the adult children in their duties towards providing for the family, the family members are always in conflict, especially Jay’s second wife and Jay’s other children.

Modern family characters portray a critical aspect of what a modern family in America comprises. First, is an aspect of diversity, currently observed in the American culture, which also includes homosexual marriages, women, and power, as portrayed by Jay’s second wife who has access to job opportunities, even though she does little in supporting the family. The aspect of polygamy is also evident, as the constant conflict associated with such families, especially in instances in which the man of the house is not able to sufficiently provide resources for the family.

Despite the hard work and effort by Jay to provide for the family, family needs pose a great concern, as the family needs are not satisfied by the effort and hard work of Jay and the adult children. The show informs critical understandings of the connection between work and life from different perspectives. First, despite the efforts put in by familys heads in providing for their families, most family members, with little knowledge of what work entails in providing for the family, constantly cause conflicts in the family.