Family Culture

Each family has a unique set of practices and behaviors.  When I talk about family culture in my classes, I ask students to consider “what are the things that people in your family all know about?” or “what are the things that all of the members of the family must do?”   In a recent class discussion, one student reported that when her extended family is together for a large meal, the “adult” table is reserved for those members of the family that are married, regardless of age.  These overt family practices demonstrate underlying beliefs of the cultural unit. 

Sociologist, Annette Lareau and her research team completed a multi-family ethnographic study to examine the practices and beliefs of families from different socio-economic backgrounds (Unequal Childhoods, 2003).  Their work resulted in a theory of differences in child rearing based on parent engagement, organization of daily life, language use, interventions in institutions and consequences (p. 31).  Parents either engaged in patterns of concerted cultivation or accomplishment of natural growth.  The underlying beliefs were related to the parents’ view of their role of either maximizing the development of their child or keeping the child safe as he/ she moves forward in the child’s path of development. 

As a clinician or educator, it is important to understand that all families operate with their own patterns of overt and subtle cultural patterns.  When I worked as a developmental therapist for early intervention services, I went into families homes to work with their young children.  Some parents wanted to actively engage in sessions and were eager to get ideas for games or strategies they could use with their children.  Other parents quietly disappeared during sessions and sometimes asked for updates.  One parent was not right or wrong, but it was important for me to work within these different cultural systems and respect practices of each family.