The Issues Influencing Contemporary Australian Families Essay

Introduction

This case study dwells on the results of observations of a family to identify and analyse the key issues influencing contemporary Australian families with young children and demonstrates a proactive and sensitive understanding of their diversity.

Outline of the Family and the Neighbourhood

The sample family comprises five members: father (John), mother (Mary), and three children (Tom, Emma, and Jane). For confidentiality, pseudonyms have been used. The couple, married for twelve years, is in their mid thirties. John is an experienced tradesman in construction industry. His income and working hours are well above the national average. John is a loving and caring person, though he acknowledges that his occupation requires him to spend extended hours away from home. Mary, a graduate in accounting, has worked as an Accounts Manager but feels that her job precludes her from taking care of the children and she quits it.

Tom is six years of age, while Emma is four and Jane a little over one year. Tom attends classes from around 8:45am to 3:30pm, with most nights occupied with extra-curricular activities. Emma attends pre-school three days a week between 10:00am and 3:00pm. Jane, a baby, is entirely dependent on her mother for care. All three children get along well with one another. The family may be considered to be both happy and functional. They reside in a middle income neighbourhood which consists of professionals and trades people.

Issues for Families with Young Children

Literature indicates that there are many important issues for families with young children (Weeks & Wilson, 1995). The first issue concerns actual and perceived conflicting demands. Young children place demands upon parents and these demands reflect both financial and emotional strains. In a broader sense, the larger the number of children, the greater is the demands placed upon parents.

In the sample family also, there are conflicting demands from children, causing pressure on parents. While the children are well behaved, they made demands and Mary is reluctant to deny. Therefore, John tends to work longer hours while Mary discontinued work to attend the children. (App ).

The second issue relates to demands, and concerns time constraints which mean the perceived inability to achieve tasks and duties within a stipulated time. (Appendix B) These are consequences of greater demands, but they also reflect on a fact that parents can leave their children with their devices through play and limited direct supervision. (Dockett & Fleer, 2002). However, the cost involved in such activities, put pressure on parents. (Henry, 1996, pp.25-33).

In the sample family, time constraints appear to be an issue for Mary. The children also feel that time for play is limited. Time constraints also enhance as a consequence of John’s absence from the home for long periods.

The third issue is the perceived capacity to blend in with the neighbourhood or the ‘sameness’ with immediate neighbours. (Bowes, 2004; Eaton & Shepherd 1998, pp.9-16). Families can feel socially isolated if the neighbourhood, particularly the immediate neighbours, do not have young children. They may feel a necessity to act in certain ways. (e.g. well behaved children during shopping ventures). Social expectation and neighbourhood characteristics are related, as a neighbourhood with young children will tend to provide a more overt ‘reference point’ for social expectations and behaviours.

In the instant case, the neighbourhood has many families with young children. Both Tom and Emma play with neighbourhood children and they enjoy it. As such, it is deciphered that the family ‘blended in’ with the neighbourhood and social expectations.

The final issue is the family’s self identity and functionality. (Edgar, 1995, pp.3-17; Funder, 1991; Gilding, 1997, pp.18-42). The sample family communicates with one another and possesses a strong sense of self identity and functionality.

Resources for Families with Young Children

There are several resources for families with young children: community centres, parent support groups, schools and educational or child care facilities, and government services (a list of resources available to the family is attached as Appendix A). These resources become more effective when utilised in a complementary sense: such as the use of child care facilities and parent support groups simultaneously.

Community centres refer to local government services designed for family support. These provide a range of formal (e.g. child care) and informal (e.g. social support) resources and support families with means to manage young children. The family in question makes use of the facility. The children have made friends through community centres. (Appendix E).

Parent support groups are collectives of fathers and/or mothers formed to tackle common issues concerning children. They provide a mechanism to share experiences, thereby allowing parents to understand issues related to rearing children. The family does not make use of parent support groups.

Schools and child care facilities provide resources for families with young children in two respects (Brannen & Moss, 2003). They enable children to be temporarily removed from direct supervision of parents, and also provide education and behavioural management. Tom and Emma currently attend school and they enjoy the experience.

Government services include welfare provisions such as direct financial payments or non-financial schemes (e.g. education programmes). The benefit of financial resources is axiomatic, though there is a negative social perception associated with ‘government hand-outs.’ The family in question does not receive government services, however they did receive a baby bonus recently. Mary and John indicate that this made ‘a big difference’ as they could meet more short term demands and invest a little for future need.

Comparison between My Experiences during the Case Study and Bartlett et al

Bartlett, et al. (1997) make three key observations relating to families and their issues. First, researchers and students need to be responsive to family members’ input. I met this expectation and established a relationship with the parents. I maintained empathy and understanding with family members without interfering, by listening to the children and parents. I came to discover the expectations of the family through observation and detailed and I identified the key issues. I ensured that my visits were suitable to the family as a whole and kept detailed, up-to-date notes (Appendix A,B,C,D,E).

Second, Bartlett et al, observe that researchers should encourage action on the part of parents and family members. I was able to create in them an awareness of community services and resources. Besides, I avoided arbitrary judgements or reflections on the family. However, I acknowledge that unbiased and objectives assessments are difficult and that my presence within the family may have disrupted their ‘natural’ patterns of behaviour.

Finally, researchers need to involve family members, apart from providing them with feedback. I avoided the use of professional language, kept seeking their approval for the research, and maintained accurate records. However, a key problem of balancing impartiality with the need to communicate with the members remains.

Key Points from the Observations of the Family

The key points of observation from the family are fourfold. It appears to be a well functioning unit despite the pressures and demands. It is loving and supportive (See all Appendices). The young children are well behaved and the parents are able to manage their behaviour.

The family is well organised, with managed schedules and activities. (Mooney, 2000). While this routine may be repetitive, it provides clear structure that has guided the behaviour and expectations of the members. It has functioned effectively and has minimised the requirement of further support and resources.

Furthermore, the family embraces values especially open communication, honesty, and trust. These values reflect in the behaviours of the members.

Links between the Selected Family and Their Friends and Extended Family

The family did not make any contact with their extended family during the period of observation due to the fact that the extended family was located some distance away. However, they get along well and have frequent discussions on telephone.

During the period of observation the children made frequent contact with their neighbourhood friends. This interaction was important because it served to reinforce learning. The interaction also served to reinforce the functioning of the family as Mary received more time to focus attention on the other children.

Conclusion

The report has detailed the results of observations of a family case study. The family studied for this report comprises five members: father (John), mother (Mary), and three children (Tom, Emma, and Jane). The report has demonstrated that there are a number of important issues for families with young children: concerns about actual and perceived conflicting demand, issues that concern time constraints, perceived capacity to blend in with the neighbourhood and social expectations, and self identity of the family and its functionality.

The family in question made use of community centre play groups and schooling as mechanisms for dealing with important issues. The report has thus identified and analysed the key issues influencing contemporary Australian families with young children. Furthermore, the report demonstrated proactive and sensitive understanding of the diversity of families in Australia today.

Reference List

Bartlett, A. et al., 1997. Family issues: how important are they to us. Educating Young Children, 3 (4), pp.34-35.

Brannen, J. & Moss, P., 2003. Rethinking children’s care. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Bowes, J. ed., 2004. Children, families and communities: contexts and consequences. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Dockett, S. & Fleer, M., 2002. Play and pedagogy in early childhood, bending the rules. NSW: Harcourt Brace.

Eaton, J. & Shepherd, W., 1998. Early childhood environments. AECA Research Practice Series, 5(3), pp. 9-16.

Edgar, D., 1995. Families and the social reconstruction of marriage and parenthood in Australia. In: W. Weeks, & J. Wilson, eds. Issues Facing Australian Families, 2^nd ed. Melbourne: Longman, pp. 3-17.

Funder, K. ed., 1991. Images of Australian Families. Melbourne: Longman and Cheshire.

Gilding, M., 1997. Australian families: a comparative perspective: sociology of the family. South Melbourne: Longman, pp.18-42.

Henry, M., 1996. Young children, parents and professionals: needs must. London: Routledge, pp. 25-33.

Mooney, C., 2000. Theories of Childhood: an Introduction to Dewey Montessori Erikson Piaget & Vygotsky. St Paul: Redleaf Press.

Weeks, W. & Wilson, J., 1995. Issues facing Australian Families. Melbourne: Longman.