香港電台 eTVonline 聯校通識學生活動 之 家多一點愛話劇創作比賽 工作坊 - 家庭作用和價值

2. 香港電台eTVonline 聯校通識學生活動 之 家多一點愛話劇創作比賽工作坊 -家庭作用和價值 楊家正博士 10月15日

3. Definition of family • “... a group of persons united by ties of marriage, blood, or adoption; constituting a single household; interacting and communicating with each other in their respective social roles of husband and wife, mother and father, son and daughter, brother and sister, and creating and maintaining a common culture.” (Burgess and Locke, 1953, p.7-8) • “ ... A basic unit of kinship composed of two or more members who are united by ties of blood, marriage or adoption, and who live together constituting a single household.” (Wong, 1975)

4. Definition of family • “The family is a social group characterized by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the usually co-habiting adults.” (George Peter Murdock, 1949) • “... a social group made up of members related to one another by blood or marital ties and usually constituting a household.”(Lee, 1991, p.42)

5. Concepts of the family • Karpel and Strauss summerizes different concepts of the family: (1) the functional family - defined by shared household, shared activities, shared responsibility for daily life and child rearing; (2) the legal family - defined by legal structure, altered by divorce and adoptive placement of children; (3) the family as seen by its members - defined by the perceptions of its members; and seen as “in” the family by family members; (4) the family of long-term commitments - defined by long-term expectations of loyalty and commitment; trust, reliability, and fairness are basic expectation; (5) the biological family - defined by blood relationships; parent-child relationship. What are the strengths and weaknesses of these definitions?

6. Functions of family • Reproductive function • Economic function • Education (socialization) function • Protective function • Providing prestige and status • Religious function • Recreation Function • Providing affection

7. Characteristics of Well‑functioning families • A hierarchical structure with a strong parental/marital coalition and appropriate generational boundaries; • A caring and nurturing atmosphere supportive both of individual differences and family growth and development; • Flexible and adaptability within a context of predictability and stability; • Initiative, reciprocity, cooperation, and negotiation; • Effective communication; • A congruent mythology; • Openness in expression of all feelings; • A systemic orientation; • Optimism and a sense of humor; • A transcendental value system and shared goals and beliefs; • Ritual, tradition, and celebrations; • A viable network of support.

8. Family Life Cycle • Newly married couples - pre-child year • Childbearing families - oldest child under 3 • Families with pre-school children - oldest child 3 to 6 • Families with school children - oldest child 6 to 13 • Families with teenagers - oldest child 13 to 21 • Families launching young adults - first child gone to last child gone • Middle-age parents - post-child years to retirement • Aging family members - retirement to death of spouse

9. Variations in Family Life Cycle • Premature marriage - unwed/teenage pregnancy • Childless family • Extended family • Divorce - singlehood or single parenthood • Remarriage - step-family • Death of spouse or family member

10. Single Parent Family - Causes • Separation and divorce • Death of a parent • Desertion • Work • Imprisonment • Long-term hospitalization • Astronaut families

11. Common Problems of Single Parent Families • Financial difficulties • Accommodation • Emotional problems • Parenting problems • Social isolation • Remarriage