Siren
Mythological Creature
Who do you consider to be in your family (immediate) ? What are your relationships to these people? Mother, Father, and Sister. I have a good solid relationship with them all, even though I live 16 hours away. Now that I am married, I also include husband, David and his family. My sister's fiance is also included in that group.
Did (or do) all of these people live in the same house? Nope. My sister just moved in with her fiance about a year ago. And I left the house at 18 for college and never moved back in.
Who had primary responsibility for caring for them as children? My mother was a stay at home mom who ran a daycare of sorts out of her house. But decisions regarding us have always been shared equally between my parents. They are a single unit in my mind as family leaders, they share equal power and equal decision making.
Who was primarily responsible for the financial well-being of the family? My Dad works a 40 hour week at General Motors then came home to run the farm (until he retired from farming in '96). My mom didn't have a job outside the home until I had left for college and my sister was a sophomore in High School. And she only took the job because she was bored and wanted to work at a greenhouse.
For the emotional well-being of the family? We all are, but for different things. My mom is the hub, the one we all come to in times of need. My father is a gregarious guy, so he's the one you go to when you need to be cheered up and generally feel good about yourself. My sister is the organizer. She will break things down into workable pieces, be it her upcoming wedding, or your problems at work.
Was the family closely connected to extended family? If so, which extended family members and in what ways? We are close to my mother's side of the family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, 2nd cousins, grandparents, godparents, etc...) and choice relatives on my father's side. Close to me means phone calls, holiday gatherings, vacations together, and having a friendship that overlooks the fact that you are related by genetics.
A small note on the last question: This may seem weird to some of you but I consider my closest friends "Family" too. Four of them I have known since kindergarten, close to 25 years. The rest I have grown close to in the last 10 years since I moved away from home. They are now married and I consider their families as a very integral part of my own family. I think I learned this from my grandparents, who always invited "Aunt" Lucy and "Uncle" Chuck, the neighbors down the road, and friends from work to everything...holidays, birthdays, vacation, card playing weekends. And I do the same thing. My family would be not as strong as it is without the love of these "extra" people.
Did (or do) all of these people live in the same house? Nope. My sister just moved in with her fiance about a year ago. And I left the house at 18 for college and never moved back in.
Who had primary responsibility for caring for them as children? My mother was a stay at home mom who ran a daycare of sorts out of her house. But decisions regarding us have always been shared equally between my parents. They are a single unit in my mind as family leaders, they share equal power and equal decision making.
Who was primarily responsible for the financial well-being of the family? My Dad works a 40 hour week at General Motors then came home to run the farm (until he retired from farming in '96). My mom didn't have a job outside the home until I had left for college and my sister was a sophomore in High School. And she only took the job because she was bored and wanted to work at a greenhouse.
For the emotional well-being of the family? We all are, but for different things. My mom is the hub, the one we all come to in times of need. My father is a gregarious guy, so he's the one you go to when you need to be cheered up and generally feel good about yourself. My sister is the organizer. She will break things down into workable pieces, be it her upcoming wedding, or your problems at work.
Was the family closely connected to extended family? If so, which extended family members and in what ways? We are close to my mother's side of the family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, 2nd cousins, grandparents, godparents, etc...) and choice relatives on my father's side. Close to me means phone calls, holiday gatherings, vacations together, and having a friendship that overlooks the fact that you are related by genetics.
A small note on the last question: This may seem weird to some of you but I consider my closest friends "Family" too. Four of them I have known since kindergarten, close to 25 years. The rest I have grown close to in the last 10 years since I moved away from home. They are now married and I consider their families as a very integral part of my own family. I think I learned this from my grandparents, who always invited "Aunt" Lucy and "Uncle" Chuck, the neighbors down the road, and friends from work to everything...holidays, birthdays, vacation, card playing weekends. And I do the same thing. My family would be not as strong as it is without the love of these "extra" people.
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