Introduction to Family Life and Family Relationships

Some of the relationships within families are covered in depth elsewhere in this volume. The chapter "Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage" features spousal relationships, while "Parenting and Children" discusses parents and children primarily in the context of the young nuclear family. This chapter features family relationships in a broader context, from caring for elder family members to communing with ancestors. Idealized family relationships and daily life portrayed in art ("Mother, Sara, and the Baby") contrast with the sensationalist news accounts of feuding mountain families ("Family Feud in the Mountains"). "My Family and Other Vehicles" discusses the tradition of the family vacation and the interesting relationship that many families have with the family vehicle.

One of the primary traditional roles of the family has been the care of the young, the old, and the infirm. The responsibilities of individuals for the care of extended family members features prominently in this chapter. "The Young Carer" discusses young adults who provide care for ill parents and other family members. "As Parents Age, Baby Boomers and Business Struggle to Cope" and "From the Age of Aquarius To the Age of Responsibility" discuss older adults caring for elderly family members and changing trends in elder care over the past several decades.

Finally, religion is an important aspect of some families, influencing family structure, dynamics, traditions, and relationships. "Communion with Ancestors" discusses a religious ritual in which family members inquire about the deceased relatives. "Family Life Among the Mormons" offers a nineteenth-century defense of polygamist families in Utah.