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A discussion of family transitions and their effects on children
requires consideration of the function and structure of families
beginning with the biological family (parents and children). This
basic grouping provides the context and crucible for a child’s
development. It is important to note, however, that many other family
constellations successfully provide for the needs of children in
addition to the two biologic-parents model: single-parent families, children
raised by extended kinships (including grandparents), same-sex couples,
adoptive families, foster families, blended families, and communal
families. Despite moral, religious, and legal issues (as is the
case of single-parent families and same-sex couples in the early 21st
century in the United States), each of these can be as successful
in this task as the biological family can be unsuccessful (Table 19-1).
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The family serves as a microcosm of society, transmitting core
values and beliefs. The children, in turn, learn these values and,
in many instances, transmit them to the next generation. These values
are not, however, universal: Consider societies where women have inferior
status or where children are considered property. In our culture,
with its Judeo-Christian tradition reflected in our Western legal
tradition, children are protected from physical, emotional, and
sexual maltreatment, and the role of the family is to prepare the
child for independent functioning.
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Picturing the family as a mobile (like those which often hang
over an infant’s crib) provides a visual representation
of an important aspect of its structure: Each level corresponds
to a different generation, reflecting a natural hierarchy (Fig. 19-1). The interconnectivity
of family members is also well-represented by this model. As constructed,
mobiles are in balance. This balance is dynamic because the elements can
move through three dimensions. A force that disturbs the mobile
will swing the elements wildly about, but within a short period
of time, the mobile returns to its balanced configuration. This
homeostatic quality is a fundamental characteristic of families
as well. The preservation of the status quo is a strength when it
helps ...