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If you think about families in the modern age, how many are made up of non-traditional dynamics? There are an increasing number of families these days which no longer adhere to what we originally had instilled as “the traditional family”. With movements towards same-sex marriage, not being married, or having multiple partners throughout life, families today are an ever changing dynamic which are challenging traditions in some of the best ways ever and are forcing us to rethink just who we consider to be parts of our family.
Traditions No More
Whether parents are unmarried, divorced, separated or same-sex, these days families are being made up more and more of non-traditional facets. This is great as it helps us not only have multiple different kinds of family members but it also helps us create appreciations for a number of different types of people and situations. Traditionally families were made up of a mother, father and anywhere between 1-4+ children. These days though it’s quite typical for families to be made up of divorced parents, often with step mothers or fathers coming into the mix along with step-siblings, and more. Back only 50-60 years ago, divorce was almost unheard of, but today divorce rates continue to rise exponentially, creating the higher likelihood of there being step-family members being introduced at some point.
Bigger And Better Than Ever!
With so many new additions to families, it’s making families bigger and better than ever! While it can take some getting used to, you’re more likely to run into people these days in the same situation than not, making it easier to transition than it was back 20 or 30 years ago when mixed families were more uncommon. These days it isn’t unusual to have six, seven or more family members made up of half-siblings, step-siblings and parents amongst others, and we haven’t even touched on the topic of adoptive siblings either!
More Love To Go Around
These days it’s quite common for men and women to choose not to marry, or if they do a lot of people are opting for alternative weddings such as civil partnerships, small intimate gatherings, getting married in their garden at home, or eloping to far flung islands to be married in private with only very close friends and family around. The costs associated with weddings mean that more and more people are opting to go the route of just doing basic “registry office” type unions, especially if they already have children and are just looking to solidify their union to each other. For families that are unable or choose not to have their own children, adoption is a popular option to enable an otherwise needy child to have a loving home where they can feel safe and wanted, adding another facet to the family dynamic.
So overall families are really like diamonds – there are so many different sides, angles, and colours to see when you look at each one. Every family is unique from traditional ones to the more modern families made up of numerous types of family members. It can be a great way to spread the love – and after all, the more the merrier! For more information on the changing face of the family, check out this great infographic from Slater and Gordon below!
