Introduction
Genograms are significant for every human being in terms of making an idea of historical genealogical background. In this respect, the originality of people stands on the previous relatives being predecessors to the current flow of family line and lineage, on the whole. The family tree of the Bowers is a versatile entity of different relation tights which are predominant looking at the genogram. The thing is that the beginning of the family tree was started years and years ago, but today the start of the genogram is pointed with the union of James Lankford Gwin and Sarah Jane-Elizabeth Lewis at the very beginning of the twentieth century. The family beginning was grounded on deep moral principles with points on religious framework and Christianity as the main religion. Both parents were working on the family farm and made attempts to educate their multiple children. Thus, they had 10 children. One of them appeared to be a significant chain of nowadays family of the Bowers. It was Robert Anderson Gwin. Throughout the years of family interpersonal development, the main values of family life are constituted today in several persons of heirs, namely: Bryleigh Rae Bowers and Cayden Dale Bowers.
Discussion
Making the parallels between the lines of close relatives it is vital to understand the flow of genetic, ethnical, cultural, and traditional peculiarities gathered in the wholeness of family identity. Every man leans toward his or her significant other so that to follow the tradition to make families. Due to the original structure of the Bowers family tree, it is seen that family prospects are grounded on the principles of reproduction and love. Each family in the historical cut of the genealogical tree is outlined with no less than two children. Thereupon, in such a multigenerational family, the role of spouses and children relationships is rather vital.
It is due to controversies between such significant participants in the family there were two divorces of mine, Marry Rosetta Gwin (Bowers), currently married to Randal Ray Bailey. However, it added extra points on making the family framework still strong and stable for today. Four generations represented in the genogram state a living interest for the predominance of traditional variable inside the family structure. Such patterning of the Bowers is helpful in terms of further mapping out of the perspectives in generation development. Moreover, family tree and the uniqueness of various persons being in relations in it may be a perfect database for drawing parallels within some of the family members. My own attitude, as Marry Bowers, toward the family tree expresses a great feeling of pride for the predecessors and contemporary representatives of the family. I see a wide scope of gained achievements and experience in the family along with a huge hopes for the destinies of children and grandchildren as well. Having an amount of positive and negative features of the relatives in the genogram I see that the positive side is predominant. The participants in this process were mainly the women. The role of the woman in the genealogic prospects is still understood with a person who takes special care of everything in the household and family members, in particular. Geldard (2004) interprets the genogram as a useful means for making a whole picture about a family. This is why it is significant for me to provide as more values and benefits for the family as possible. It is needful to protect the family and make it strong against contemporary flow of demoralization.
Making step back toward the beginning of the nowadays genogram of the family it is apparent that historical, cultural and ethnical features inside it are not trite, in particular. The identification of every member of the family is presupposed with the following the traditional as well as ethnical standards in behaviors, marriages and social along with economic positions. Self-understanding of my own significance in the family development is outlined with both physiological and traditional variables. On the one hand, I bore children. On the other hand, I delivered the knowledge and experience toward them, so that to nurture human values into them. During more than a century family connection is supported by all members. This fact makes me realize that the primordial intentions of mine and my husbands became successful. The process of bringing children up was not easy for me, but it props up against beautiful continuation of family roots embodied in children and grandchildren.
Analyzing idiosyncratic aspects of the family background it is necessary to note that such traits as reliability, responsibility, love for parents and children, kind-heartedness etc. are proper for the vast majority of the relatives. Furthermore, living in the society the family is rather apt to follow its principles and laws. The main principles of the family are protected with self-conviction of all its members. It is so due to above mentioned disadvantages of the society and the institution of family, particularly. In this respect Ratner (2002) admits: “Actually, present trends in capitalist society may be working to reduce the autonomy of the family and promote uniform experiences and meanings” (94). This is why the Bowers make attempts to provide their members and heirs with more concernment about the features which make the family imperturbable notwithstanding the trends of time and moral aspects in the society.
While proceeding through the time, family undergoes the appropriate life cycles which have a repeated character (Knoff, 2002). Thereupon, in the family tree there is a distinctive tendency of male domination and prevalence on different stages of family development. Beginning with the family of James Lankford Gwin and Sarah Jane-Elizabeth Lewis the tendency of men dominance in birth rates and proportion is still stable on all four generations of the genogram. What is more, there is a bit negative destiny for women in the family, as a result. Nonetheless, the standards and values are being kept constant throughout the time and notwithstanding various difficulties of life. Though, life cycles within members of the family are grounded on the principle to promote frustrated hopes of ancestors in order to make success for further generations. Thereupon, my grandchildren even in their early ages are able to express their love and devotion to parents and their granny making me believe that the continuation of the family genogram will never stop.
Throughout some three generations I noticed the tendency within family members to have a mathematical attitude of mind. The family succeeded and succeeds most of all in the sphere of accounting, business affairs and management on the whole. Such delivery of genetic information is obvious on the examples of closest relatives. My brother James Robert Gwin and his wife Connie Sue Simpson are working as financial analytics for about 25 years. My current husband works as an accountant in a large international corporation. The list is wide and multiple in this respect. Furthermore, the ability of family members to help others is considered, as for me, with similar intentions of my grandparents and their children to promote every possible opportunity in making more improvements for neighboring people. In fact, merciful attitude toward humanity and nature are at a core of family attitudinal framework.
Interpreting Genograms
With all the material and information about my family genogram and peculiarities as for it I realize the personal participation in this process. The feeling of self-esteem and self-confidence are prevalent in the family due to pains of my ancestors, me, and my children. People say that life is not all beer and skittles. This is why the fact of marrying for three times I contemplate as one of the main prospects for further generations. Making less vital mistakes will definitely be helpful and useful for them. Moreover, such trend in family development. Current values should be stable for next generations, so that to save genuine identity of Bowers and Baileys as well. My happiness can be imagined only with happiness in lives of my children, spouse, and parents. The more I analyze my role in the family genogram, the more I feel personal responsibility to make efforts in terms of further improvements in it.
Reflections
In the process of the work I became more concerned about the lives of the family members and their impacts in intergenerational perspective. Every step of the assignment was deeply recognized by me in order to find out the reasons and effects of family framework and the way of its members’ lives. Once more I felt personal accountability for making family relationships firm. Thus, the assignment helped me to come to a conclusion of a happy family.
Reference
Knoff, H. M. (2002). The assessment of child and adolescent personality. New York: Guilford Press.
Ratner, C. (2002). Cultural psychology: theory and method. Berlin: Springer.
Geldard, D. (2004). Counselling Adolescents: The Pro-Active Approach (2nd ed.). New York: SAGE.