FAMILY PORTRAIT 2

Family Portrait “You can choose your friends, but you cannot chose your family” A well-known saying that can be taken as humorous for some, yet painfully true for others. . Our political leaders seem to have taken notice to this growing change in family dynamics. An article written by Mitch Pearlstein in the weekly Standard, titled “The Disappearing Family-Problem”, (November 23, 2012) tackles this issue of what seems to be one of the worst downfalls. Our society seems to have changed their views to what it means to not just be a family, but more importantly act like a family. For instance, having one set of parents working together to raise and nurture their children has become a way of the past. The traditional family has proven to be the best environment to raise children. Babies born out-of-wedlock, single parents and divorce are becoming our nation’s normal way of living. In the past marriage was legally and socially required in order to raise a family and great members of society. In Pearlstein’s (2012) article, he states, “It would be valuable for our leaders to find a way around the political pitfalls that dissuade them from addressing a consequential subject.”(p1) I feel this would not only be valuable but a great start to change the example we as a society are setting for our children. Pearlstein also notes that our school systems, prime-time TV, and our fatherless nation have played an impact as well. He states, “On average children from fragmented families do less well in school than children growing up with their married father and mother.” (p8) He concludes his article with the hope
Family Portrait 3

that President Obama will address the issue of our broken homes and decline in education, but that it is highly unlikely. As a child I grew up in a home with both parents married, with no divorces in my family or extended family. I had one immediate family and one home. It was stable and loving which played a vital role in my upbringing. Now as an adult, I have become accustomed to a new family structure. In my home is a case where there was divorce and a child that was born out of wed lock. My husband and I were both divorced with a child, and we then had a beautiful baby girl before we were married. My son and stepdaughter have two homes, go to different