Introduction
One of the most widely adopted definitions of a family is a group of individuals related by marriage, birth, or adoption. The term has been used for centuries to describe individuals who live together in a household and those who are related to them by blood. Nonetheless, the term family has grown through generations to represent strong bonds between human relationships, allowing the word family to refer to a closely-knit social circle in society. Consequently, the strong bond between family members makes it difficult to separate from them and establish another life elsewhere. Thus, this essay supports that the term family bears different meanings to individuals, but most of them associate it with blood relationships. Also, strong family bonds and not being prepared to live independently contributes to homesickness when young adults first leave home.
The Definition of a Family
The interview investigating individuals’ thoughts and perceptions about what a family constitutes uncovered several similarities. However, the responses also exhibited notable differences as each individual had different responses about who they consider as their family and what it means to be a member of a particular family. The most striking similarity that all individuals suggested is that a family describes people related by blood because these bonds are inseparable regardless of distance and other factors. As a result, they illustrate the concept that family is often associated with blood relationships because it played a critical role in distinguishing individuals’ social class during the pre-modern era (Coontz 38). However, some individuals had a broader sense of family since they included everyone they live with and most people within their social circle. Thus, these responses suggest that the meaning of the word family and what it refers to is subjective depending on how individuals value their relationships and preconceived ideas of what a family should entail.
The responses I received suggest that most individuals still hold on to the idea of a mythical traditional family, shadowed by romanticism and structured in a way that assigns stereotypic roles to other individuals. Many individuals think that a perfect family comprises a father, a mother, and their children. However, changing demographics and increased complexity in human interactions limit such family setups. Nonetheless, there was a difference in response according to age differences as younger individuals perceive more people, including those not linked to them by blood as family. According to Coontz, the social landscape has significantly changed over the past century because of economic developments and the solutions individuals have adopted to survive, including buying, selling, and exchange of products and services (Coontz 56). Therefore, it is inevitable to abandon the illusion that human society can revive old family traditions. Instead, individuals should apply the values of the old community and find a way to invent contemporary family traditions to be better positioned to handle interdependency and social traditions.
Leaving Home for the First Time
The responses I received after inquiring about the specific reasons why older individuals I associate with left home indicate several differences, especially between the older men and women. Surprisingly, none of them left home for the first time to pursue educational initiatives like most young adults today. While most men left home to pursue life ambitions without any plan, a majority of them moved from their parent’s house for no particular reason as they attained adult age and packed their bags. Thus, they started off life by living with friends, resulting in long-term relationships and marriages. Nonetheless, most individuals from the younger generation leave home to study but always keep in touch with their parents. However, compared to the youth today, individuals in the past rarely kept in touch with their parents after leaving home, probably because of less efficient communication solutions than in the modern era.
Many individuals I spoke to suggested feeling uneasy during their first few weeks and could not properly manage their obligations. Subsequently, there were negligible differences between responses since many individuals admitted that moving out of their parents’ roof was difficult because they were not well prepared for adult life and its associated responsibilities. Most individuals entrust their parents with most of their responsibilities when under their roof, thus denying them the opportunity to learn basic life skills like financial management and healthy eating when at home (Matt 2). Nonetheless, there were notable generational differences in the way people treat leaving home as some perceive it as the ultimate human test. Younger adults suggest that it is impossible to leave home for good as they must always come back to visit and spend a few months. Nonetheless, individuals from older generations suggest that managing life outside your parents’ home means that you are mature and ready to face any challenge. Thus, it is evident that individuals these days are not well prepared to leave home.
Conclusion
Human society is built upon the constructs of independence and togetherness. As a result, family values have a high standing in the community despite most individuals having their views and ideas about who makes up a family. According to the report, individuals from young and old generations suggest that blood bonds declare who is family and who is not. Nonetheless, individuals from younger generations accommodate more people, including their close friends as family. On the other hand, leaving home is problematic to all individuals regardless of the reasons why they leave home. Nonetheless, many respondents admitted that they were nostalgic because they did not possess the appropriate planning skills to live a comfortable lifestyle. Therefore, the report concludes that parents do not prepare their children for life outside their home these days, thus contributing to these issues.
Works Cited
Coontz, Stephanie. The Social Origins of Private Life: A History of American Families, 1600-1900. Verso Books, 1988.
Matt, Susan J. Homesickness: An American History. Oxford University Press, 2011.