State of families today.....

[Danni]

With the downfall of 'traditional' families, I have to wonder if there is not something more than can be done to keep family units together, or at the very least help keep contact between parents and children.

We have seen tax concessions or the like for 'stay at home' parents of a 'traditional' family, the ideas of paid maternity leave, priority in child-care for a parent to return part time to work etc.....

But I don't recall seeing much about any sort of relationship education etc. I don't know.......I am finding it hard to describe.....maybe things like back in the old school where folks went for 'marriage classes' etc before a religious style wedding ceremony and stuff. Where they learnt what the responsibilities of being a husband/wife and parent were BEFORE they jumped in feet first.

We are a 'non-traditional' family, my son and I. I come from a non-divorced 2 parent 2 child own your own home dad works mum keeps house type of family. Yet I ended up a single parent. Single since just before he was born. And it has never really bothered me until today. My son has love, lives with me and his grandparents with all the benefits of an extended family etc etc.

But today I found out he now has a baby sister, only 4 weeks old, and he will more than likely never know her, nor she him. I just think that is all very sad.

 

[skilts]

Originally posted by Danni
But today I found out he now has a baby sister, only 4 weeks old, and he will more than likely never know her, nor she him. I just think that is all very sad.

I presume you mean half sister, unless you've had an unexpected, unnoticed visitation.

To the point of what you wrote, it always amazed me the emphasis there is on pre-natal classes, for women and men. All very useful, but not much help for when you've had the baby and are at home left to your own devices.

Single parenthood must be the most difficult and lonely job in the world, yet rewarding, if you manage to keep your sanity. You're right too, about marriages falling into disrepair because of lack of resources to provide some help along the way. The 'family' is a great vote winner, like motherhood. Pity they don't fund its maintenance better. Think of the money which could be saved and heartache which could be averted, especially for the children, if there were more emphasis on preventing breakdowns of relationships. It seems people haven't the tools to deal with these issues these days. The demise of the involved, extended family may be a factor, though some may say this constitutes interference.

Best thing to do Danni, is what you do now: care.

 

[BSA]

Perhaps another way of looking at it is to suggest that the so-called 'traditional' family unit is really not so traditional at all and indeed may even be contarry to human nature and human behaviour.

Some research in sociology and anthropology seems to suggest that it is in fact normal human behaviour for Men and Women to come together (especially when young) for a period of time to make a baby - then after the baby is born and its upbringing started, then the Man and Women would naturally part company as they grow apart emotionally and intellectually.

Certainly in our own recent human history, extended families were the go where raising children was the responsibilty of grandparents as much as parents.

I could even go so far as to say that it was your parents model of Mum Dad Kids and nobody else was unnatural and peculier even.

cheers