Culture, traditions, and family

Culture, social class, and ethnicity are all important factors that affect families relationships and dynamic. This week in Family Relations class, my perspective widened and made me grateful for not only the country I live in, but the area and way in which I was raised. For the first sixteen years of my life, I did grow up with two parents in the home that were able to provide all of my physical and emotional needs.

In class this last week, Brother Williams brought up the topic of immigrants, and we did a roleplay of a family trying to cross into the United States to create a better, safer, and more fulfilling life. I learned that so many families in different countries not only struggle financially, but it affects their family relationships. I feel like this is a full circle, because so many parents are busy working and trying to put food on the table, that they are being distant from their children and not fulfilling significant, emotional attention that I feel is a key developmental part of a person’s life. The missing piece of love and feeling of safety may lead individuals towards other negative outlets in the world that fill the gap that was not filled during childhood or adolescent age.

I

feel very fortunate to not only live in the United States, but to also belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This church not only teaches values and standards that leads us to have a healthy home-life with a strong family-unit, but the church also will never let families or individuals be without basic needs. This church is built on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who served everyone in His path.

The church is an important tradition in my personal family live, and I believe that going to church for anyone, no matter what kind of religion is being practiced in it, should be a perpetuated idea that is proven to create a smoother, and happier lifestyle. Most church-going families have beliefs that are founded upon honesty, love, charity and god-like, which therefore do create a healthier home-life that is only positive for children and spouses. A tradition in certain cultures that should be discarded, is a negative or unneedful education towards education. I believe that the reason why so many families in countries or diverse cultures struggle, is because they don’t have the chance to gain an education. Whether it comes down to the individual person, or the government, I believe every person needs a chance to gain an education that will only improve their lives in many ways that will also give them better opportunities to have a fulfilling life.