Family

By: Lindsey O’Brien

CMS 332

April 7, 2012

“Families are made up of bonded relationships. The bonds may be as binding as blood or as warming as a loving hug. What

makes a family “family” is the sense of ‘home’ felt and shared among individuals” (Pg. 1). – Charles Wilkinson

Family Type: • A two-parent

biological family consisting of my father, mother, older sister and myself.

Family Communication Functions

In my family we are able to share our thoughts and life stories with each other. By being open with one another about problems that arise, we are able to keep a strong, loving and supportive bond. It is an ever changing process that consists of hard work and maintenance. “Communication may be viewed as a symbolic,

transactional process of creating and sharing meanings” (pg. 24.

Functions Continued..

Cohesive: “Family members strive for emotional closeness, loyalty, and togetherness with emphasis on some individuality” (pg. 31). Flexible: “Family members experience high levels of change, shared decision making, and shifting rules and roles” (pg. 32).

“The family is a system constituted, defined, and managed through its communication” (pg. 53).

Family Images and Themes

Like any team, each player plays a different position leading to the

ultimate goal…WINNING! My family is like a team.

We each play our different positions and

share many of the same goals. Through

love, support and teamwork we always

win because no matter what we are there for

each other. “Never give up and

give it all you’ve got. If it was your best then you know you tried!”

Family Roles Father: (Husband/Father) Takes care of all finances, providing a roof over our heads and comfortable, safe living. Worked to support our family. Mother: (Wife/Mother) Made sure the house was always clean, no one was ever hungry and everyone was always healthy. Also worked to support our family. Both parents always took part in the decision making within our household. They shared parental responsibilities while we were growing up and always provided love and support to my sister and I. Sister: (Daughter/Sister) The academic and quieter one. Myself: (Daughter/Sister) The athletic and louder one.

Family Rituals Some family rituals that we try to stay consistently involved in include: • Family dinners. • Celebrating

Birthdays. • Spending

holidays together.

• Apple picking and blueberry picking during the seasons.

• Vacations (not as much now that my sister and I are older).

Rituals Continued..

“Rituals are not just pleasurable routine events; rather, rituals serve central ongoing maintenance and relational functions” (pg. 113).

Family Typology My family would be categorized as

consensual and open.

“Consensual families are high in both conversation and conformity strategies with their communication characterized by pressure for agreement , although children are encouraged to express ideas and feelings” (pg. 173). Open Family: “boundaries tend to remain flexible when members are encouraged to seek experiences in the outside space and return to the family with ideas the family may use if group consensus develops” (pg. 175).

My parents share a syncratic relationship and share all decision making processes, negotiating life's expected an unexpected events. Syncratic Relationship: “shared authority and joint decision making, implies that each partner has a strong say in all important areas” (pg. 185). “Decision making is the process by which family members make choices, reach judgments, or arrive at solutions that end uncertainty” (pg. 194).

Power and Decision Making

Conflict

Like all families, conflicts can arise. In my family conflicts never go unmentioned and must be resolved. I feel that depending on the conflict all styles are used, including: competitiveness, collaboration, compromise and avoiding to get to a resolution. Regardless of how the matter is settled, it is

always worked out.

Galvin, K., Bylund, C., Brommel, B. Family Communication: Cohesion and Change (8th Ed.) Allyn and Bacon. 2012.

References