Family Roles and Perceptions in Canada

Essay by kinkyangelHigh School, 12th gradeB+, October 2006

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Thesis: With the development of various family situations, typical nuclear families should no longer be considered the ideal family concept.

In Canada today it seems that there is a predominately functionalistic view of the family. These functionalistic views of the family are also seen as the root of many societies problems. The importance of the family and its function for society constitutes the primary set of reasons why there is a social as distinguished from purely productive differentiation of sex roles. Functionalists felt that the nuclear family was most adapted to the functionalists theory, as it is insular and mobile therefore aiding society by keeping up with economic movement, but in the process becoming detached from the extended family support. Over the past several decades, Canadian society has witnessed an evolution in family structure and the basis of that structure has evolved over a period of time. The family image can be, and is, interpreted differently by a variety of people, including those within the family group itself.

One such image is that of the nuclear family.

The nuclear family is usually imagined as a two-parent household with two-point one children, a dog, and a white picket fence surrounding the perfect home; but how perfect is a nuclear family? In recent history, different situations have arisen and the concept of a nuclear family have diminished from the thoughts of modern families as more opportunities have opened up to allow a variety of alternative lifestyles. With the variety of family situations arising in today's society, I feel the typical nuclear family should no longer be the ideal family concept. My reasons for this is because of the amount of diverse family living situations that have risen over the past few decades, nuclear families don't have to be labelled as "perfect". Families...