How Do You Define Family? Free Essay Example

Everyone defines family differently, however, the significance of family is the same. When you look up family in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition it provides is as follows:

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fam·i·ly (făm’ə-lē, făm’lē) n. – a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head

Although the above may be the definition from the dictionary perspective; it may not be the only way, or the correct way society defines family. Over time family definition continues to evolve as a person goes through different stages in life.

Today, modern families only have one parent, stepmother or father, or adoptive parents. Growing up in a modern family structure it consisted of a single-parent family, so to me, the definition of family is a unique and strong bond with a group of people and in some cases, they may not be related by blood. These are the people who support and love you in your life’s journey every step of the way.

The Merrian-Webster definition states “a group of individuals under one roof”, if we look around almost every aspect of our lives involves a group of individuals. For example, even though each person practices a different religion there is a group of believers whom we would call our family. Growing up as a child we play with a group of friends and become so attached to them that we may call them our pretend sister or brother, at a young age we learn that family is not always those who live with you.

As we get older and attend university or join the military we consider that group of individuals as our family. Those who work and spend a larger percentage of our time at the office, eventually consider their work colleagues as their extended family. While the definition provides us with a broad definition, these are current examples that society defines as family.

Each example had a feeling of belonging to “a group of individuals.” It is our human nature to belong and belonging forms support which in my opinion is a key characteristic of the family. I believe through our journey in life we go through many life lessons, growing pains while searching for our destination; and through the course, we tend to define and re-define family with our own characteristics that each person values.

Through the ups and downs in my life, these are the core key characteristics I continue to use to help me define family: support, love, trust, and sacrifice. I learned at a young age that blood-related would not be one of my key characteristics. Growing up as a latch key kid and with a single parent, I quickly learned that moms’ friends and our neighbors would quickly become like an aunt or uncle. I remember by the time she walked into the house, she knew how many times I had gone outside when I knew I wasn’t allowed the rule was not until she arrived home and I had permission. Moms’ friend and our neighbors would inform her when she would pull into the driveway. They were always the ones watching over me from a distance until mom made it home from work. I remember as a kid I would get so upset at them for telling on me but as I grew older learn they were like my extended family even though they were not blood-related and that’s when I learned that blood related is not a characteristic of the family. If I think about it they pretty much helped my mom raise me while I went through middle and high school, there was always a pair of eyes watching when mom was at work.