Family, Marriage, and Gender roles in America .
At the core of American identities and American dreams lies a family. Throughout time, families serve as a connection between the individual and the outside world. The individual identity, his or her dreams, in large part depend on the family of origin or a family of choice. The individual is shaped through beliefs, values, and assumptions that the family holds about the world and that are based on family member's experiences and collective memory. The family itself, in turn derives its values from the social, cultural, political, and philosophical assumptions and beliefs of the larger and more dominant culture. .
In today's modern society, assumptions regarding a family can be very widespread. Ranging from the conservative viewpoint to the more liberal view. The conservative is the more traditional view of the two. Believing that the only true family is the joint relationship of a husband, wife, and children is a thing of the past. Recently an alarming number of unfavorable situations have arisen. These situations range from one-parent families to the inexplicable situation of two partners of the same sex. What happens to a society where the nuclear family is no longer the dominant configuration? Only time will tell. .
Being brought up in a traditional environment; I have very conservative views on the concept of a family. When I was young, my Mother did not work. She would stay at home with me until I was about thirteen years old. I feel that, if possible, a mother should stay home with her children. In my eyes, the main responsibility of a Mother is to furnish her children with as much attention as possible. Without the necessary attention the child will grow up striving for attention, and will do everything in his or her power to receive it. In the model nuclear family, the Father is the individual who is responsible for earning a substantial living.
