Family structure is a term used to describe a group of people who live together and are related by blood or by law. There are many types of family structures. A family structure that I am familiar with is the step-family. When most couples divorce or if one of the partners is widowed, they could remarry after some time, bringing with them children from previous relationships. Their spouse might also bring kids from an earlier marriage. This union is called a step-family. The family dynamics in this structure can be complicated because the children are not from the same biological parents . This type of family structure has become common over time ( Ivanova et al., 2019). A step-family, like any other family structure, comes with its strengths. In some cases, the children, who were previously used to living with one parent, get the privilege of having two parents around. The step-parents also get an opportunity to bond with the children. In some cases, when resources from the newly formed family are pooled together, higher living standards could be realized.
A step-family is in the life cycle stage of remarriage and reconstruction. Young or grown up children could be part of the family reconstruction process. This affects the family dynamics in many ways. At the same time, family members are in the process of adjusting and accepting new people in their family environment (Ivanova et al., 2019). Concurrently, parents are also discovering ways of involving the step-children who could be from a different environment in daily tasks and activities prevalent in the new environment. The family is working on the reconstruction of boundaries to accommodate new family members, and realigning relationships with the extended families. The couple is adjusting to recommitment and learning how to plan and distribute finances in the union. Moreover, family is also working on co-parenting arrangements with their previous partners if they are still alive and are interested in being part of their children’s lives. In most cases, these processes causes tension, especially in families that are highly dynamic, as a change of living style in order to accommodate new family members could be a hard transitioning process for all the involved parties (Ivanova et al., 2019).
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Step-family type, in most cases uses a consensual style of communication. Family members communicate their thoughts and feelings freely. Where all members’ views are respected, freedom for everyone to voice their opinions is ensured. Even then just as it is in many other types of families such as nuclear families, the parents are mostly the final decision-makers. However, the parents explain the beliefs, values, and decisions to the children. Parent and child relationships are most important as children are born dependent on the family. The consensual style of communication approach positively enhance family’s dynamics as time passes by. It ensures that everyone is heard, and no one is left feeling small or irrelevant. This is the best communication style for such a family structure as it encourages bonding, resulting in the formation of healthy relationships between the family members.
In some step-families, there are clearly defined roles. The mother mostly plays the role of a homemaker. She ensures a comfortable household for the family while running her fashion business. She caters to minor expenses like grocery shopping, buying clothes, and entertainment. On the other hand, the father is mostly the head of the family and the primary provider. He caters to major expenses like the house mortgage, car servicing, loans, and significant investments. He also sees to the insurance policies of the family and education policies for the children. These clearly defined roles have established clear boundaries and helped create a relationship between members of the family. This is through reduction of conflict.
For a social worker, it is vital to understand the cultural value of a family (Kirst-Ashman, 2010). This enables them to know how to approach pertinent family issues and handle different situations. This family comes from the Mexican society. According to their cultural beliefs and traditions, contraception is a taboo and women should have as many babies as possible. A social worker should be able to approach the issue cautiously because in the blended family, the question of whether to give birth to more children might arise even when one of the partners is not in agreement with such a though. The social worker should find out their opinion on contraceptives and how many more kids they plan to have according to their financial capabilities. The social worker will then know how to advise them accordingly, but in a sensitive and considerate manner (Kirst-Ashman, 2010). They should be able to introduce modernized approaches to family planning while at the same time considering their beliefs.
The family systems theory by Murrey Bowen suggests that a family works as a unit where every member plays a specific role while observing the family rules. Using systems theory to analyze this family, one might conclude that the family needs family system therapy because of conflict that emanates from role delegation. This therapy will help the family develop conflict resolution methods and effectively solve problems that affect the family members as a unit. It will help them manage emotional cutoffs and tackle power struggles. The above is irrespective of their initiative to mitigate conflict by setting clear roles ( Oliver, 2018)
Building a family is an entire process, and it requires effort from every family member. Social workers come in to counsel the family and guide them how to better their relations when necessary. They help them to improve their communication channels and devise strategies to resolve conflicts. They stage an intervention where necessary
References
Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2010). Introduction to social work and social welfare. Critical Thinking Perspectives, 3rd Edition, Brooks/Cole, USA .
Ivanova, K., & Balbo, N. (2019). Cementing the stepfamily? Biological and stepparents’ relationship satisfaction after the birth of a common child in stepfamilies. Journal of Family Issues , 40 (10), 1346-1363.
Oliver, B. M. (2018). Blended Family Resilience: Communication Practices in Positive Adult Half Sibling Relationships . Arizona State University.
