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Alvarado Emely
Professor Makaroysan
English 114B
11 May 2015
Non-Traditional Families: A Growing Sensation
The type of family that people are used to seeing and hearing are traditional families,
which consists of a man and a woman who are legally married and raising children of their own.
Anything that does not fit into that definition would be considered non-traditional. However as
time passes society has become more used to the idea that families can be constructed in
different ways. Non-traditional families are being accepted more than in the previous years and
are being demonstrated in a positive manner through the eyes of the media. Since Media consists
of television, radio, and internet the representation of non-traditional families are rapidly being
distributed among the public. Because media itself is very broad the focus thats being centered
is how television and film displays non-traditional families in a positive light. Whether it being a
blended family that consists of two families becoming one, cohabitation, or divorced couples
raising their children separately, non-traditional families have been being seen more in the media
in a positive way.
Since the media is always keeping up to date with the latest fads, the new norm of how a
family can be represented is now being showcased in television shows and films. One of the
many new styles of the family image are blended families; to be exact the type that are
combined from a previous marriage. The way media chooses to portray this type of family
is in an optimistic way because it exemplifies how combined families can co-exist and still be
a strong foundation , just like a traditional family. A source from media that promotes blended

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families is Yours, Mine, and Ours directed by Raja Gosnell where a man and a woman have
children of their own from a previous marriage and decide to marry each other. Although there
being several children in the family they manage to get along with each other and come to the
realization that by blending their families resulted in a stronger dynamic. According to the
article Making the Blended Family blended families can be seen to society as a strong positive
type of family because children learn how to get along with others; a strategy that everyone puts
into use on a daily basis. For Keith Alford, professor in the College of Human Services and
Health Professions at Syracuse University, describes blended families to be a shared
experience (Alford 4). What Alford means by that is that the collaboration of two families is
a learning practice and therefore supports the argument that blended families can be beneficial
and be seen by society in a great way. This type of nom-traditional family is one of the various
styles that are slowly being seen more as a new social norm to society. As blended families are
being seen more in the media through television and films so are other styles of non-traditional
families.
As time passes societys views are always challenged especially with media thats seen
on television and film. A constant challenge that society comes across is the foundation of a
traditional family. Its seen as a challenge because the definition of a traditional family is
changing and some people have a hard time accepting it. Aside from having blended families
as a non-traditional family, cohabitation is another form of a modern family. Cohabitation
consists of a couple not married, typically a man and a female, although behaving like a married
couple not being legally married. Cohabitation has been seen more overtime on television
because it keeps up with the current fads with society and as a result displays more couples
cohabitating. The television and film industrys goal is to gain viewers to be successful; thus

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by showcasing, in an encouraging way, more couples that cohabitate it gains more peoples
attention because it isnt seen as a complete social norm yet. One of the television series that
establishes this is Greys Anatomy where some of the doctors are romantically involved with
their co-workers. What these couples decide to do is to cohabitate instead of marrying or
maintaining a relationship and living apart. While displaying this type of behavior, not once
is it seen negatively, but rather treats this method of non-traditional family dynamic to be
normal. Although its being seen as something thats ordinary it can still be a challenge which
causes it to be thrown back and forth into discussion because, As cohabitation continues to
rise, the composition of cohabitors will become more heterogeneous ( Smock 2000)
providing new opportunities and challenges to understand how cohabitation not only fits in,
but also has change, the American family system. (12). The quote from this article
Cohabitation Expectations Among Young Adults in the United States: Do They Match
Behavior? supports how even though cohabitation is out of the ordinary the number of
couples participating in this phenomenon are constantly increasing. However since its being
known more to society it can stir up controversies too. As previously mentioned its slowly
making its way into part of The American Family System.
Another new way of how the ideal American family system is transitioning are
divorced couples. Divorce is a delicate matter to address with some people and although
upsetting, it occurs a lot which is why its often represented in the media. Even though the
first thought that might come to ones mind on the subject is completely terrible, the media
has portrayed it to be beneficial and healthy as well. The reason for those factors is because it
wouldnt be right for two people to remain being together if one or both of them are no longer
happy in their marriage. If children are in the picture then it can be emotionally draining for them

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to witness and hear the constant bickering that their parents take part of instead of getting a
divorce. If an unhappy couple chooses to stay in the relationship, although not satisfied, for
the sake of the children then in the long run theyre actually causing harm. No child enjoys
seeing their parents be upset; let alone to see them argue as well. Its because of reasons such
as these that divorce can actually be a great option. Frequent arguing between married couples
can lead to negative side effects for the children such as causing them to feel guilty and make
them feel at fault for the couples bickering. Also in more severe situations children fall into
depression and perform poorly in school. Its because of these few examples that indicate that
couples who decide to take the leap and divorce is a well decision, not only for them but for
the family as a whole. Couples divorcing are seen through the media like with the case of Tom
Cruise and Katie Holmes. Both are major celebrities who made the decision to end their
marriage after being married for several years. What caused people to gossip even more
about the couples choice to separate is that they had made the decision to do so even though
they have a daughter, Suri. What fans wondered was how their daughter was going to respond,
emotionally and physically, to her parents life changing choice. To some peoples surprise
there werent any drastic consequences. Suri continues to live an ordinary life. She may not
spend time with her parents at the same time but for the most part she remains happy and
mentally healthy. The child can benefit from the divorce because she has, like others whose
parents are divorced, to live two different lifestyles. Like in the story Did I Miss Something?
by Lowell Putnam, where she describes her experiences from having divorced parents. Putnam
recalls benefiting from her parents divorce because bot only did she stop having to listen to
them feud but she also stated, my life is enriched by the division of my time with my father and
my time with my mother. I get to live in New York City for half of the year and in a small

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suburb of Boston for the other half (Putnam 424). Putnam was able to travel and have two
lifestyles which she enjoyed. By having divorced parents doesnt necessarily mean that a child
is doomed as exemplified through media. Blended families, cohabitation, and divorces are all
considered to fall under the category of non-traditional families. Because of the way its being
presented in the media society is learning how to accept to be part of the new image of a
traditional family.
Even though many people are getting used to this new concept theres still some
questions that come into mind about a modern family. According to The Higher Risks of
Cohabitation by Sharon Sassler, It is often difficult for children to adjust to a parents new
spouse ( Sassler 42 ). That might be the case but throughout life everyone has to learn how
to co-exist and in whichever type of family theres always going to be some disputes that
cant be avoided. Therefore blended families can be considered to be seen as a learning
experience. In films and television series they typically showcase the combination of two
families as if it were chaos but in the end they display how its actually beneficial for everyone.
With cohabitation its been seen as terrible mostly by those whose religious beliefs are very
strong. It isnt seen as morally correct because most religions believe that a couple should not
live with each other and behave like a married couple without legally getting married. Religion
and its beliefs arent going away anytime soon and are here to stay which clashes with the views
on cohabitating. As explained before with the television series Greys Anatomy some negative
commentary does appear with cohabitating because it isnt morally correct and other people
can view people participating in it to be wrong because its sinful, in terms of religion. No
matter the main for cohabitating to be wrong this source of media continues to demonstrate
the optimistic side of cohabitation. For divorce many people many people strongly believe thats

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wrong because it can affect children, if any are present. This isnt always the case though
because, going back to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, their daughter Suri is doing fine.
According to the article Reconsidering the Good Divorce, not all children with divorced
parents experience long-term problems. (James, 524) Some members of society might
oppose to this statement but its been stated and tested that because children who have divorced
parents wont necessarily be completely affect in a grotesque form. Social media has been and
continues to showcase the positive aspects of non-traditional families through media by using
the lives of celebrities and their personal lives, television shows, and films in order to prove
that non-traditional families are rising.
Non-traditional families are slowly becoming into a new version of a traditional family.
As time progresses so does ideas and rights. In this case people have the right to choose their
style of family. Families are constructed in various ways and therefore shouldnt be limited to
the idea of just one.

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Work Cited
Making the Blended Family. Ebony July 2005: 124. General OneFile. Web. 26 March 2015
Manning, Wending, Pamela Smock, Cassandra Dorius, and Elizabeth Cooksey. Cohabitation
Expectations Among Young Adults in the United States: Do They Match Behavor? Population
Research and Policy Reviews, 33.2 (2014): 287-305
Sharon Sassler, The Higher Risks of Cohabitation, from The New York Times, December
2010. Reprinted with permission. The Contemporary Reader, ( 2013) 428-429
Lowell Putnam. Did I Miss Something? Reprinted with permission of the author. The
Contemporary Reader, (2013) 423-424
Amato, Paul R, Jenifer B Kane, and Spencer James. Reconsidering the Good Divorce.
Family Relations, 60.5 (2011): 511-524

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