Extended Definition of Family - Essay Example

 Extended Definition of Family Members of a particular household who live together and are related to each other, by blood or adoption make a family. However, this definition may not stand true when one sibling in such a family starts living separately. The definition of extended family is applicable in such cases, which include the parents and other siblings, though they might be living separately in different households. The following paragraphs explain the extended definition of the family, as detailed in different government notifications and various dictionaries. U.S. Census Bureau According to US Census Bureau, any person staying with a family, but not related to the head of the family or householder, will not be counted as a member of this family. For the census purpose and tabulations, each household can comprise of only one family. However, a household, which comprises of different members not related to each other, cannot be termed as a family. US Supreme Court U.S. Supreme defines a nuclear family as comprising of the parents and their children. The children being dependent on their parents have no personal choice, as parents decide for them, considering their best interests. In addition, Supreme Court has defined extended family, as a community of members, which comprise of grand parents, parents, siblings and other members related by blood, although the blood ties may not be strong, as compared to nuclear family.(Definitions of family) Governments of various countries have provided the definition of family, as given below: Canadian Statistics department has provided the broad definition of family as a lone child with a single parent, now-married couple, and single parent with a dependant child below the age of 25 years, having no spouse. Common-law couples are also classified as family comprising of husband and wife, as partners in such a couple are treated as spouses.(Definitions of family) Japanese law has framed the definition of family, in 1889, with blood lineage as the base for such family and the father being head of such family, passing on the lineage to his eldest son. In such definition, all children of any single father having children from many wives were treated as part of the family. However, after the World War II, the Japanese term ‘uchi’ defines a nuclear family comprising of parents and unmarried children. The same definition of family includes a household, which is a unit of consumption or production. (Definitions of family) Oxford dictionary definition of family The primary definition as given in the Oxford dictionary for family is: “A group consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit”. The same dictionary has provided further definitions of family as “a group of people related by blood or marriage”. ( Family) Oxford dictionary has also defined family as “children of a person or couple being discussed” and “a local organizational unit of mafia or other large criminal group”. The extended definition of family as given in the Oxford dictionary also refers to “all descendants of a common ancestor” or “a group of people from a common stock” and “a group of related things”, It also refers to Language family as “all the languages ultimately derived from a particular early language, regarded as a group”. The extended definition of family, as per oxford dictionary also refers to biological categories ending with ‘-idea’ in zoology and “-aceae” in botany. Similarly, the mathematical group of a single family includes “a group of curves or surfaces obtained by varying the value of a constant in the equation generating them”( Family) Legal interpretation of family definition While discussing about the ‘best interests’ of the children, when defining family and welfare of children, this term has been in wide use by most courts, when they pursue the well being of the children. However, the term gets importance during the divorce or separation of a couple, which means breaking of the family, where children suffer the most. Referring to such cases of family break-ups, the courts usually ponder on the questions that include the future program and housing for children along with the cost sharing proposals for supporting such children of erstwhile family. The ‘best interest’ doctrine has formed the main ingredients of US policy on family issues, since 20th century. (Garber, 26) Adoption and Safe Families Act Keeping in view the definition of family, as provided by US Supreme Court, President Clinton signed this bill into law on 19 Nov. 1997. This Act also refers to the welfare of children in a family. However, it lays more importance to the adoption of children with special needs by foster parents. The new bill was brought forward mainly to correct the anomalies found in ‘Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act’ of 1980, which was based on definition of families with biological linkages.(Garber, 26) The United States Census Bureau defines family as a group of two or more people, when they reside together and one person of the group is the householder. It also refers to the members of such group as being related together by marriage, birth or adoption. However, there is a change in the definition of family, from the 1980 Current Population Survey, as it has deleted the secondary families and its members, while counting the members of main family. Earlier, unrelated subfamilies and members were also treated as part of the family.(CPS-Definitions) This definition has also included non-relative members being the members of a particular household, although they are not treated as members of the family. Hence, the family members do not include non-relatives. However, the number of families is taken as being equal to number of households, where the head maintains the complete household. CPS defines ‘family group’ as comprising of many members of family, where members are related by adoption, marriage or birth. A family group can comprise of many households along with related or un-related sub-families. (CPS-Definitions) Etymology definition According to this definition, family is a “collective body of persons who form one household, under one head and one domestic government, including parents, children and servants, and as sometimes used even lodgers or boarders.”, as per the early versions of this definition. In 1902, the Century dictionary declared a happy family as “an assemblage of animals of diverse habits and propensities living amicably or at least quietly together in one cage.” (Family (n.)) Conclusion The definition of a family has changed over the years as can be seen in the preceding paragraphs and from analyzing the extended definition of family, given in various dictionaries. In addition, the US government census has also brought many changes in the definition of a family, from time to time. These definitions include the meaning of ‘nuclear family’ for doing the Census Population Survey. The US Supreme Court has also interpreted the definition of family, which is reflected in its various rulings. However, the basic definition of a family comprising of members, including the head and other persons who are related by adoption, birth, blood or marriage is the most commonly applied definition of any family. The extended definition includes members of the sub-families and progeny of single ancestry. Incorporating laws to facilitate the adoption of children with special needs into a family, the ‘Adoption and Safe families Act’ of 1997 was passed by President Bill Clinton in to the law. This facilitated the inclusion of such children as members of a family, which has adopted them, for the purpose of any legal definitions and census surveys. Definition of family may vary from time to time, but marriage still holds the key to raising a family and the same will remain as long as the institution of marriage plays an important part in the lives of people all over the world. Works Cited “CPS -Definitions”, US Government Current Population Census. nd, Web. 22 Feb. 2014 “Definitions of Family” Probronson factbook, page 39, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014 “Family.” Definitions of family in English, Oxford Dictionaries, nd, Web. 22 Feb. 2014. “Family (n.).” ONLINE ETYMOLOGY DICTIONARY. n.d. Web22 Feb. 2014. Garber, Benjamin. ““Developmental Psychology for Family Law Professionals” , Page 26, Google books , n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. Read More