Marriage and Family Matters

Hello everyone! Thank you for tuning in another week! Now that we are diving more into marriage this week and the beginnings of this special union by the engagement and then the first few months and the transition into parenthood, we are going to analyze the cultural norms that are part of our individual societies. We have talked in the past few weeks about culture and how the media and those around you create a culture. That culture relates to dating, marriage, and parenthood. Take a minute to think about what your culture teaches and enforces about these subjects. We know that the way we date and the connections we make with people matter and now we are going to transition into looking how it really applies to marriage.   I have noticed a pattern in our culture of stereotyping the roles of husbands and wives. There are, of course, different things that work for every couple, but I have recognized these stereotypes as I have learned more about the family this week.  The...

 I hope you all have had a good week! Today's topic is super interesting to me and hopefully you can find some good ideas from it as well. The topic is DATING! I talked to my roommates and friends a lot about dating this week to get their opinion and take on specific aspects of dating such as: would you ever ask a guy out, do you think the guy should pay, what kind of things do you look for in a date, are dating and hanging out different? These are the questions that we discussed and it led to super interesting discussions.  I would love to hear your answers and opinions to those questions! Every culture is different but for the culture that I am in I feel like dating is kind of a big deal. People hang out until they decide they like each other and then they straight into boyfriend and girlfriend status. As I learn more about the importance of dating I reflect on my life and the way that I think about it now. I am going to use my life as an example of how dating in imp...

I believe that men and women are equally important in the family and to society. It is obvious to me that they are different and have different roles but that seems to be a controversial subject these days. I think men and women and their distinct differences are important in families and relationships. Growing up in my family I was taught that men and women worked together to create a home. The man and father was the protector and provider. The wife and mother was the nurturer and home-maker. Growing up in this progressive world I have seen that that view has changed significantly to many people. I have met and talked with a lot of people who for some reason get very frustrated and angry with this view. My sister got married this week and it has been pointed out by many members in my family that my sister does not cook. I don’t think it is because she is bad at it, it is simply the fact that she doesn’t like it and therefore doesn’t do it often. Because she is now a wife a certain...

What a week!! When I started college I knew exactly what I wanted to study and what I wanted to do with it. I majored in Humanities and I wanted to study cultures around the world and eventually be a humanitarian aid. I loved my classes and I thought it was so interesting the way other people lived and their history and customs. I found myself naturally wanting to include some traditions, foods, art, music, and customs into my life.  Fast forward a few years I took a break from school and went on a church mission to Pennsylvania, had a few jobs, and now I am back in school studying marriage and family. I love my major but parts of me missed my humanities classes because I just loved learning about all that. This week in class we talked about culture and I was so excited! But it was family culture and my mind has been blown! The way we defined it in my class is this - culture is shared values, beliefs, traditions, customs in an area, family, and relationship. I had kind of a culture...

This week in class we talked all about different family theories and let me tell you. SO. INTERESTING. No family is the same but they all have similar patterns that can help us understand the behaviors of each individual. Which, again, is so interesting because the more you learn about the family theories the more you understand why you think and act the way you do. While I give my understanding and explanation on a few of my favorite family theories please think of how they show up in you individually and in your family, because I know for me it was a very telling experience. Exchange theory: measuring the pro’s and cons, benefits and risks, costs and rewards in your relationships. I love this one because I always tried to be the person and friend who was there for others. I grew up hating talking about myself but also being slightly offended when no one thought to ask me about myself or what my thoughts are. I always felt so conflicted because I prided myself on caring about others ...