Close

As this semester comes to a close I find that I have learned so much and am grateful for my new view of the family. I have been able to strengthen relationships and learn so much about family systems. I hope to always remember that systems are important, look at a system-not just an individual. I like this view over that of psychology's, which focuses on the individual.

Thoughts

As I was contemplating the family this week, I was contemplating family size. Larger families are very prevalent in mormon populated areas. Why is it that this happens? Then, it hit me. Due to the fact that on average mormon families marry younger the women have more childbearing years. This allows the women to bare more children. This is a random thought that really struck me. As a mormon culture we allow ourselves to have the possibility of having more children.

I find this thought comforting. Our gospel is centered around the family. Interesting that this would be in a part of our culture without us even being aware.

Fatherhood

This week I reflected a lot on fatherhood. My father is extremely involved in my life. He took my on outings with just him and I. He also helped me learn to read, practiced sports with me, and taught me how to budget money. To this day I call him for advice and support, or just to talk. I hope I can be a parent like he was. I think that if I am interested in my children's talents like he was I'll have a good place to start.

Communication

We often hear that the heart of every relationship problem is found within communication. One of the best ways to seek to have good communication is to be a listener, not a talker, at the first. We must all seek to understand before we are understood. This will lead to less problems within any relationship. If everyone is on the same page, then real conversations to fix what is happening can take place. The key is communication.

The Wedding

This weekend I went to a wedding. This was a wedding in which many parts of the family were involved. Watching everyone work together to bring about the beginning of a new couple really motivated me to be active in the lives of all my siblings and my parents. A wedding represents everyone coming together to help form a new family. It was a wonderful weekend full of joy, and hope for the future.

I hope that when my family comes together that we may able to have low contention, and issues the day of. This way we can focus on the sealing.  

Marriage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ1yLFIEVNo

This video talks of Marriage and Divorce. It speaks of how it is important to respect and work at your marriage and to be kind to your spouse. Marriage is the greatest form of intimacy that two people can have. It is important that we are sweet to those we are married too. I think that beside the Lord your spouse is the person that you are required to be most mindful of.

My parents have always respected each other, and it leaves me wanting the same thing in my future marriage. I hope that I can someday be able to give in my relationship, and respect the covenant that I will make.

Parenting?

This week in class it was brought to my attention that I have not considered what type of parent I will be. It is essential that I start thinking about parenting and dating people that would be good parents. I'm not sure how I can decide how someone is going to be with children, but I think it helps to be aware of it. Food for thought.

Dating

Today I realized, due to a wonderful lecture in my family relations class, that dating is a reflection of marriage. This means that how someone is while they are being courted is a reflection of how they would be in marriage. I am not sure why this has not occurred to me before. If you are experiencing a problem in dating it will not disappear once you are dating. This is one of the reasons that we must be aware of our dating patterns.

Gender Differences

While watching a video on gender differences this week, I saw a video that really put in to words something I have been trying to place for a while. A women said, 'Equality means everyone has equal opportunities, it doesn't mean everyone is the same. Differences are good'.

I love this quote because it represents a truth we have lost in society. There is nothing wrong with having different chemical and physical makeups between men and women, it is something to be celebrated. The very view that we are all to be appreciated and comfortable with being different folds back on itself by trying to make everyone the same. We are different lets celebrate, lets fight for equality in oppurtunity! Lets stand up for being gender unique! Lets celebrate for doing things in different ways-within our own genders! Lets understand that different doesn't mean less able, it just means different.

My name is Whitney and I am proud to be a woman.

Moments

Moments That Matter Most Video

I find that family is made up of many small moments. Family life is an equation of trials, arguments, laughter healing and growing together. When my family is going through the most trials, and everything feels full of friction there is one thing that helps.

Slowing down.

When my family slows down and goes on a hike, eats or laughs together those are the moments that keep us together. When my younger brother is looking for his soccer cleets, my sister whining, my mother cooking, and then the milk spills. It helps to just laugh. Laugh at our crazy life and find the beauty. I think that this video shows that.

We all need family. We all need moments.

No. 2

One way of looking into the family unit is through the systems theory. The systems theory tells us that the problem or issue is never involving only one person but an entire system. The way you interact with people in your family all contributes to the person you become. This is a popular method for family therapy, because the blame never falls on one person. The system is responsible for all of its members and every action affects every member. 

No. 1

Families are an important part of the social unit. There are many studies that come out that show different stats on the family unit. I think it is important to remember that studies are not always reliable. It is also important to remember that correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation. It's important to be aware of how a study is conducted in order to decide if the study is valid.

Blog Log

Other Great Family-Oriented Blogs...

Alisha Capps	alishasfamilyjournal.blogspot.com
Alexandria Walker	http://theengraving.blogspot.com/
Andrae Monson	http://www.andraemonson.blogspot.com/
Annie Reed	http://annelisereed.blogspot.com/2012/01/just-getting-started.html#comment-form
Brigitte Lamoreaux	http://brigittelamoreaux.weebly.com
Brittanie Floisand
Chante' Yeager
Chelsea Mitchell	http://ourlittlemitchellfam.blogspot.com/
Christiana Phillips	http://familyrelationswhatmattersmost.weebly.com/
Christy Gibson
Drew Lakin	http://awsomethoughts.weebly.com/
Derek Fife	http://bringerofbacon.weebly.com/
Emmalee Banry	http://emeeelizabeth.weebly.com/index.html
Erika Bailey	http://erikabaily.blogspot.com/
Hansika Rajapakse
Hayley Wehrhahn	http://hayleyscarrotsandcookiedough.blogspot.com/
Jacob McRae	http://jmcrazysfamilyblog.weebly.com
Jennifer Bailey	http://jbthoughts.weebly.com/
Jessica Hassell	http://jessicahassell.weebly.com/
Jessie Grover	http://triggerthoughts.weebly.com
Jonathon Fowkes	http://jfowkes.blogspot.com/
Karisa Riddle	http://karisa-riddle.blogspot.com/
Katherine Beckstead	http://katherinebeckstead.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Coffin	http://kimberlycoffin.weebly.com
Kyndra Reiss
Lizzy Packer	http://familynuggetsauce.blogspot.com/
Mailee Yang
Marissa Falahola	http://marissasfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/
Miranda Ferguson	http://familyrelationswhatmattersmost.weebly.com/
Quinci Whatcott
Saritha Ignatius	http://sarithaignatius.weebly.com/
Taryn Tonkinson	http://taryntonkinson.blogspot.com/
Whitney Hawkes	http://thoughtsonlifeandfamily.blogspot.com/