The Meaning of Family - Research Paper Example

19 July, The meaning of family Family is a social unit in which individuals are related to one another. In the most fundamentalist opinion, individuals in a family are related to one another by blood i.e. there are sisters, brothers, mother and father, and children. In broader perspective, family may also include grandparents, uncles and aunts. “Families are one of the strongest socializing forces in life. They teach children to control unacceptable behavior, to delay gratification, and to respect the rights of others” (Kimani).

One can choose company, not family. Although in the most liberalist view, people cohabiting say that they form a family, yet it is nothing more than a group of people living together. Thus, company is often confused with family, though the two are quite different fundamentally. This can be attributed to the fact that people in company often take one another’s care, care being one of the essentials of the family. “Family, is essentially, made of those people who look after, who play a crucial role in our upbringing and who teach us those lessons in life, which can never be learned through any school or text book” (Gaikwad).

Different people interpret the meaning of family differently, thus limiting it or not to blood relations (“Meaning of family”). People in one family share common values, norms and culture. Younger ones gain inspiration from the elderly, be they parents or older siblings. Members of a family share good and bad times with one another. Family is the source of moral and emotional support for individuals in times of distress. Works Cited: Gaikwad, Mukta. “Meaning of Family.” 2011. Web. 19 July 2011. . Kimani, Anthony K.

“Influence of Family Structure on Juvenile Deliquency.” University of Nairobi. 2010. Web. 19 July 2011. . “Meaning of family.” 2009. Web. 19 July 2011. .