Researching family structure

Families are relationships: between parents and children; between men and women; between older and younger persons; between persons at different stages in human development; between persons with various abilities. Families are systems of exchange: of investment for human growth; of education and incentives; of support and care; of production and consumption. Families, beyond fulfilling functions, are frameworks: for deep-seated emotions; for expectations and motivations; for mutual respect and acceptance. In families, there should be space for: sharing, communication, cooperation, competition, negotiation, forgiving, compassion, exercising true authority, living up to responsibilities, and giving security and enjoying life together.

1. In families, there are dependencies and there are reactions to these; both foster individuality, self-reliance and uniqueness -- processes which require patience -- and enable family members to find their pace in a wider community.

1. Undertaking social surveys
2. Researching families
3. Researching
4. Providing primal structures
5. Promoting kinship circles

1. Monitoring decline of the extended family
2. Building family decision making structures
3. Broadening legal definition of the family structure

1. Requiring family relationship structure

1. Separating families

1. Simplistic concept of families
2. Family structure as a barrier to progress