Basic HTML Version
SfXFAMILY
FUNCTIONS
The Family Service Association
of America has identified six
major functions all families
should possess as a common
denominator. In brief, they are:
1) The basic biological func–
tion of reproduction and trans–
mittal of a family ' s special
heritage and culture from one
generation to another.
2) The provision for physical
security and protection .
3) The achievement of endur–
ing and deep emotional satis–
factions; the provision of full
opportunities for emotional, in–
tellectual, social and spiritual
development.
4) The development of socially
desirable character traits or
moral and ethical standards.
5) The maintenance of order;
the distribution of money and
other material things, including
the division of responsibilities
and tasks among family mem–
bers.
6) The development of sound
relationships between family
members and the outside com–
munity.
VIGNETTESON
THEFAMILY
• "Families are enduring in–
stitutions. They have been the
foundation for virtually every
society known to history. They
possess incredible strength and
resilienéy, especially when
faced with adversity . This was
one of the major messages of
the powerful television presen–
tation of
Roots.
Yet, families are
undergoing changes, and too
many are experiencing stresses
and pressures" (Vice-President
Walter F. Mondale,
Psychology
Toda
y).
• "Documenters must deal
with the statistic that one in
three modern marriages ends in
divorce. . . . There is also the
22
observable fact that today the
passing alliance is often the de–
sign for living" (Vernon Roys–
ter,
The Wa/1 Street Journaf).
• " Today, 21 percent of all
U.S. married couples have di–
vorce somewhere in the back–
ground of one partner or
another or both" ("Family–
Special Section," U.S.
News
&
World Report).
• "Many parents feel that their
traditional values have had their
day and are out of date. In or–
der to stay in fashion , they have
loosenect up, but in so doing,
they have·come up with no new
values. The result is that many
children today live in a moral
and emotional vacuum without
any goals to strive for "
(Naomi Alcalay, administrative
supervisor of the Family Divi–
sion of the Brooklyn Bureau of
Community Service).
• " Even the upbringing of
young children, once consid–
ered by social scientists the pri–
mary family duty, is being
downgraded by an increase in
the number of persons who de–
cide not to have children at all"
(Amitai Etzioni,
The Washing–
ton Post).
• "lt's those of another gener–
ation who don't even under–
stand the principie of fidelity
that
1
mourn for. What will the
ripeness of years mean to them
when the landscapes of their
lives are strewn with the wreck–
age of dead romances?'' (Page
Smith, " A Few Words in Favor
of Fidelity." )
• "Social workers in sorne
areas point out that incest and
other forms of child abuse are
cited by 40 to 60 percent of
teenagers and even younger
children as their main causes
for running away" ("Why Chil–
dren Are Running Away in Rec–
ord Numbers,"
U.
S.
News
&
World Report).
• " Children , who look to the
family for love, security and a
sense of direction, too often
don't seer:n to find it. Many are
aimless and alienated , and
alarming numbers of them have
turned to drugs, alcohol, van–
dalism and violence" ("What
Future for the American Fam–
ily?"
Changing Times) .
• " lt
is the convergence of
three major trends-the de–
mand on parents' time outside
the home, the demise of the ex–
tended family due to the
frequent uprooting of its parts,
and the liberation of women–
that has put the challenge to
the family structure" ("What
Future for the American Fam–
ily?"
Changing Times) .
WHATIS
AFAMILY?
"A family is a mobile strung to–
gether with invisible threads–
delicate, easily broken at first ,
growing stronger through the
years, in danger of being worn
thin at times, but strengthened
again with special care. A fam–
ily-blended, balanced, grow–
ing, changing , never static,
moving with a breath of wind–
babies, children , young people,
mothers, fathers, grandparents,
aunts, uncles-held in a bal–
anced framework by the invis–
ible threads of love, memories,
trust , loyalty, compassion,
kindness, in honor
preferrir:~g
each other, depending on each
other, looking to each other for
help, giving each other help,
picking each other up, suffering
long with each other's faults,
understanding each other more
and more, hoping all things, en–
during all things, never failing!
Continuity! Thin, invisible
threads turning into thin , invis–
ible metal which holds great
weights but gives freedom of
movement-a family! Knowing
always that if a thread wears
thin and sags, there is help to
be had from the Expert-the
Father- 'Of whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is
named.'"
-Edith Schaeffer
(What ls
a
Family?
Hodder
&
Stoughton.
$7.00)
The
PLAIN TRUTH August-September 1977