FCS 3100 - Discussion 3 PDF

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a. In this module, what three things stood out the most for you? Explain why you chose these three things. b. How will knowledge of these three ideas/concepts help you in understanding family relationships and guide you in your work and personal life? I have wondered about how the children in this increasingly common lifestyle were affected.

a. In this module, many things stood out for me. The three things that stood out the most to me were the impacts of cohabitation on children, the economic advantage of marriage, and the impact of social class on parenting. The list of differences in children from cohabiting families was pretty surprising. Parents often think that making a commitment to marriage or deciding to just move in together is something that only affects them. They don’t consider how this important decision will affect the children involved. These differences include the observations that cohabiting fathers spend “less time in activities with their children,” the children have “poorer school performance and exhibit more behavioral problems,” and the parents spend more money on alcohol and tobacco and less on education (Seccombe, 2016, p. 144). These differences can be pretty impactful on a child’s life, so it is important to look at the challenges of different family structures before deciding. The fact that married people earned “more money and accumulate greater assets than those who are single or divorced, regardless of race or ethnic background” stood out to me (Seccombe, 2016, p. 160). I didn’t realize that simply being married could account for economic benefits. I was especially surprised that this included married men with stay at home wives. I assumed that single men would earn more, so it stood out to me that marriage had an advantage, even if one spouse stays at home. Another thing that stood out to me was how much social class affects the way parents raise their children. Lower-income parents tended to be more controlling, authoritarian, and more apt to using physical punishments (Seccombe, 2016, p. 204). Higher-income parents tend to be more receptive to children’s opinions, show more warmth and affection, and talk to them more (Seccombe, 2016, p. 204). This intrigued me because I usually think of social class only dealing with material goods and money, not different value systems. This stood out to me partly because I remember reading in the Bronfenbrenner article that the parenting values of the mother affect a child’s placement in classes (1986, p. 728). Since the income plays a role in childrearing beliefs, which means income also has an effect through the differences in childrearing beliefs what classes children are placed in at school. b. The knowledge of these three ideas/concepts will help me in understanding family relationships and help guide me in my work and personal life. These concepts have given me a better understanding of the world. I have a more accurate view of different families and their cultural beliefs. These will help me understand my friends and acquaintances better in my personal life. In my work, I will also come into contact with many different people from various parts of the globe with unique backgrounds. When working with different clients, it will be helpful to think about the values and ways they might have been raised. As a future accountant, who plans to focus on tax accounting, the effects of different family structures can be seen in monetary value. Table 7.3 outlined some of the tax differences of married, unmarried, and civil unions. Overall, it gives me a broader repertoire of knowledge to view others, which will help build better relationships.

References Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22, 723-742.

Seccombe, K. (2016). Families and their social worlds (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

1. One thing that really stood out to me in this module was the high rate of arranged marriages still happening in India. I found it really interesting that 85% of marriages are arranged and most young adults would prefer this to finding their own mate (Seccombe, 2016, p126). In the module, it really makes you think when the reasons for arranged marriages are explained such as basing marriage off of commitment from the start instead of love. Of course, other arranged marriages have even more family impact because it could hold the future of the rest of the family in the man or woman’s hands (Freudenberger, 2010). Even though I already knew that the rate of marriages staying together is declining, it is sad to read about. People are marrying and forgetting about the words “for better or for worse” (Seccombe, 2016, p159). I think that it is too easy for people to divorce and there is not enough stress on working out their problems and being focused on personal happiness. According to Seccombe (2016), 305,000 teenagers 15-19 had babies in 2013. Personally, I have known quite a few girls from my high school that became pregnant at a young age but seeing the yearly number surprised me. I think the number for teenage births is too high because these young adults are putting themselves and their child in a tough position with the lack of financial and economic stability.

2. I think having knowledge of these three concepts will help me to broaden my perspective throughout my life whether personal or professional. I think sometimes we become focused on our own lives and perspectives that we forget that other people walked a different path. I think it is difficult to be open minded about specific topics because we have been socialized to think a certain way because of surrounding influences. Carrying over to my professional life, I think reading and talking with people from different cultures as me will only benefit my growth and understanding.

Freudenberger, N. (2010, September 6). An Arranged Marriage. In The New Yorker. Retrieved October 22, 2015. Seccombe, K. (2016). Families and Their Social Worlds (3rd ed.). Pearson.

The arranged marriages that happen particularly in India also stood out to me. Although it did not stand out to me that these young adults preferred this method of finding a mate. One of my best friends in high school was from India and often talked about how she thought arranged marriage was the perfect way to find a husband. She felt that her family would know how to pick a better mate, but she did play a role and had veto power as they described. I spent a lot of time with her family members and they felt the same way about arranged marriages. It is sad to read about how the rate of couples staying together when they get married is declining. I think Americans might be able to use some of the factors and reasons for arranged marriages, especially the commitment. I agree that seeing the large number of 305,000 teenages is surprising because of all the struggles that are associated with teen parents. However, it is very encouraging and good to hear that teen pregnancy rate has actually “declined substantially over the past two decades” and that those declines have been across “all racial and ethnic groups” (Seccombe, 2016, p. 209). Having a child between the age of 15 and 19 has a tremendous impact on both their future and their child’s future success in life. I knew some of the social and economic consequences of being a teen mother, but I did not realize the biological consequences. I was surprised to read that teen mothers were “2.5 times as likely to die in childbirth” and their babies were “nearly three times more likely to die within the first month of life” (Seccombe, 2016, p. 210). Reading this module has also broaden my perspective for both personal and professional experiences. Reference Seccombe, K. (2016). Families and their social worlds (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

One thing that stood out or was enlightening for me was the differences in cultures and how marriages are arranged. Regardless if it was how we seek a partner here in the U.S., or how a marriage is arranged in another country such as India or Kenya, it appears that there is equal acceptance on the part of all parties. It is just as normal to exchange cattle for a bride in some cultures as it is to get down on one knee here to purpose. Another interesting part was how recent the rules of marriage have changed. Of course everyone knows that samesex marriage is now legal, but I was completely unaware that until recently, it was still illegal to marry someone of a different race in certain states. “Alabama was the last state to formally repeal its antimiscegenation law through a state constitutional amendment as late as 2000” (Seccombe, 2016, p. 155). The other thing that I saw that had changed since this book was published and I found interesting is China’s one child rule. Just this week they have changed it to allow two children. The sad and shocking part is how family members would abandon newborn children in parks just because they are limited to the amount allowed. While all of this information was quite interesting, I do not know if it will greatly influence my personal life. Perhaps the parts on nonverbal communication when I am out of the country will be useful. Beyond, being even more grateful for my circumstances, I do not know if it will make a daily difference in my life. Reference: Seccombe, K. (2016). Families and their social worlds (Third ed.). Pearson.

I also found the differences of culture and how they choose their mates enlightening. It is surprising to think about that exchanging cattle for a bride is a daily occurance like getting down on one knee, but it is reality. I did not realize how many rules surrounding marriage have changed recently. The recent legalization of same-sex marriage had a huge impact. Many sections of this module had to deal with the limited rights that same-sex couples had because marriage was not legal. It would be interesting to see how this textbook is updated and adjusted with the change in legalization. I was pretty shocked that there were still antimiscegenation laws as recent as 2000. It is crazy to think that some states were still “banning marriage between Whites and other races” when I was born (Seccombe, 2016, p. 155). I read about the change in China’s one child rule this week and was glad to see that they have changed it to two children. I can not imagine someone abandoning a newborn and it is terrible to think they had no choice but to do so. Even with China extending to a two child policy, its family policies are much different than many other countries. Most European countries and Canada have family allowances to help “offset some of the costs associated with raising children” to make it easier to raise children and keep families out of poverty (Seccombe, 2016, p. 214). I am also grateful for my circumstances and the opportunities that I have been given. It is eye-opening to see different way families and marriages occur around the world, compared to my life and those I know.

Reference Seccombe, K. (2016). Families and their social worlds (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson....