Introduction

I believe I live in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the world. While this is debatable, I can make my case based on how much I enjoy being a part of my community. Some of the elements that set my neighborhood apart from others are freshly picked fruits and vegetables, expansive paddocks, undulating green hills, verdant parks, and a grocery store that also serves as a community meeting place. There are soundless breezes that pass across the still air. The entire neighborhood features well-kept front yards and usually deserted main street with a few people walking up and down. Usually, there are a few cars parked here and there. A large porch that is covered in shade and has a comfortable rocking chair for you to sit in as you enjoy the peaceful surroundings. I loathe the idea of having a home in a big city. My current neighborhood is ideal in that it is both beautiful and quiet. It has given me a greater sense of independence, as well as the ability to relax and the sense that I am part of a community.  The idea of growing up and one day having a house out in the country is, for many people, the culmination of a dream that began in their youth. My neighborhood is the realization of a dream that’s been with me my whole life. For newcomers in my neighborhood, living in such serenity is the reward for years of hard work and sweat. This is owing to the fact that living in the country provides numerous unique benefits that are not available to those who choose to make their home in a major metropolitan area. It’s possible that people who live in rural areas think that their homes provide a higher level of peace and tranquility, as well as shelter and comfort, in comparison to city homes that are equivalent in size. Even something as simple as looking out a window at open fields or other types of green space may help lower levels of stress. Some of the benefits enjoyed in my neighborhood include the fact that rural areas are free from violent crime, polluted air and water, littered streets, and heavy traffic, all of which contribute to a sense of calm and beauty. By investigating the ways in which families are supported, built, or impeded within the neighborhood, the purpose of this article is to put the theories of sociology and anthropology into practice. This assignment gives a real-world perspective into some of the issues that have been taught in class by thinking on course themes while taking images of the neighborhood and discussing them. When discussing topics such as family life, relationships, parenting, family conflict, lone parent families, and the overall flow of life, the perspective of my neighborhood is the most helpful.

1. Mothers and mothering, Fathers and fathering

For decades, debate has raged over whether women should work outside the house or remain at home with their children. Because working mothers cannot be full-time parents due to their jobs, the foundation of this argument is that women should practice passionate parenting. This view is still very vibrant in my community. When intense mothering is practiced, the mother is expected to be the primary, if not the only, caregiver in the family, dedicating her whole focus to her children to the exclusion of her other obligations. As a result, a “good” mother cannot divide her time, effort, and attention between her children and her profession (Dillaway & Paré, 2008). Intensive mothering is depicted in this context as a prescription for action and a decision that women must make: either work for money or stay at home with their young children throughout their formative years. Even in my neighborhood, a woman’s child and its success or failure reflect her maternal instincts and the importance she places on herself as a person. My neighborhood still insists on a supportive family where the mother takes more of a mothering role than contributing in the financial welfare of the family. As a consequence of fundamental needs and economic development, an increasing number of women are forced to manage working a paid job and having children, while still retaining the society-held expectations on mothering (Dillaway & Paré, 2008). This demonstrates that public discourse has altered with a greater emphasis being placed on whether working women are parenting their children properly rather than whether working mothers can be effective mothers.

In some ways, the status of mothers and the expectations put on them by society have not changed; yet, fathers and the act of fathering have undergone substantial changes (Bell, 2013). In my community and neighborhood, the parental role of a father may take several forms. The contemporary father does not necessarily fulfill the traditional responsibilities of married breadwinner and enforcer of family law. He may be adopted or a stepparent; he could be single, married, gay, or straight; he could work outside the home or be a stay-at-home parent; and he could be an excellent caregiver for children who need physical or mental health care. The existence of a father’s connection and increased levels of family engagement help children develop their social and emotional talents (Beaupré, Dryburgh, & Wendt, 2010). Cultural and social expectations of fatherhood have shifted in recent decades. Fathers are now anticipated (and do anticipate) playing a more active role in childrearing as a consequence of this transformation. This heightened expectation applies to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

2. Same sex couples

In the past, heterosexual couples created structures such as husbands taking care of the family’s financial obligations while mothers stayed at home to raise children. Contrarily, in recent years, the heterosexual man and straight woman in a nuclear family with kids has started to go out of favor. In the “new dad” era of today, many men have advanced beyond the traditional role of emotionally detached breadwinners. In contrast, they are more involved than their dads. While driving their girls to school, they practice braiding their hair. Gay dads, on the other hand, are a category of men that is seldom brought up in conversations about parenting within my community. They often defy gender norms and practice “intentional parenting,” an aspect that many people still overlook (Berkowitz & Marsiglio, 2007). Contrary to the majority of heterosexual males, many same-sex couples practice conscious parenting, where the decision to have children is one that has been carefully considered and planned. Gay families may have a wide range of connection types and exist in a number of sizes, shapes, and configurations (Hopkins, Sorensen, & Taylor, 2013). In my community, the definition of “family” has been broadened to include relationships that go beyond ethnic and biological affinity, albeit in a very slow process. Homosexual males who are parents like to distribute child care chores more fairly since there are no set gender norms.

For many of the older generations, the father is often an odd, aloof, and frightening figure in the family. In my culture, opinions about same-sex male relationships are evolving, but like Berkowitz and Marsiglio (2007) observe, males are still seen as exhibiting their manhood by rejecting all things feminine and being open to have sex with women whenever the chance arises. Like members of many other groups, many in my society still think that being gay makes one weak and fragile, and that these qualities are incompatible with true manliness. This viewpoint is prevalent across the country and not only in my hometown. In my culture, men are supposed to continue the heritage of manliness. Heterosexual parents would have more wiggle room in negotiating the typical roles they perform in their families if they could learn from the experiences of same-gender parents (Hopkins, Sorensen, & Taylor, 2013). In my culture, the varied family structures are openly accepted. However, homosexual men and their families are seldom given good media representation. Instead, a significant chunk of public discussion is often centered on the potential “threats” that homosexual parenting poses to kids and the conventional heterosexual family. These discussions seldom address the reality that the nuclear family is not as perfect as many would like to believe. In actuality, it’s a setting that often fosters injustice and even violent action.

3. Divorce and families in Crisis

The whole family may suffer if parents decide to divorce. The parents are learning new parenting techniques as well as new ways to interact with one another. Children may experience a broad variety of emotions when their parents decide to divorce (Millar & Goldenberg, 1998). While some children may adapt well to their parents’ choice to divorce, others could find it more difficult. The majority of individuals agree that divorce is an urgent circumstance that is uncommon, unwanted, and unplanned. Divorce challenges individuals to learn new coping mechanisms and may have emotional and mental impacts since it is often unplanned for and difficult to prepare for. Divorce makes it more probable that a person’s life may alter in other ways while also forcing them to deal with significant change.

According to what I’ve seen, when parents split, it functions somewhat similarly to a divorce between the parents and their children. This is a typical occurrence in the town where I reside. The connection between children and both of their parents deteriorates as a result of divorce (or a parental conflict that results in divorce) (Crowley, 2019). Immediately after their divorce, the majority of parents must deal with two distinct sets of issues: adapting to their personal issues and adjusting to their new position as divorced parents. Given how painful divorce may be, it may be more difficult for mothers to maintain positive relationships with their kids. Children who grew up in households with married parents believed their families supported them far less than children who grew up in homes with single parents. These poor grades worsened as the kids progressed through high school and college.

When parents divorce, they often provide less of the child with emotional support, financial support, and assistance with day-to-day responsibilities. The quantity of linguistic stimulation, pride, affection, encouragement of excellent conduct in school, assistance with social maturity, and warmth offered to the children decreases significantly in households where there has been a divorce (Millar & Goldenberg, 1998). It is typical for there to be fewer toys and games and a greater emphasis on physical discipline. Even while some studies claim that divorce between parents has little to no impact on how they raise their children, it often leaves both parents and children feeling drained, agitated, and nervous. These things have an impact on parenting and having control over kids. Because of this, parents who have separated or divorced tend to be less affectionate and more controlling when their children are adolescents.

4. Lone parents

When a parent raises children on their own, without the assistance of a spouse, this kind of parenting is referred to as lone parenting. It’s possible that there are a number of factors contributing to this. It’s possible that they used to be in a relationship in the past, but they ended it, the other person died, or other arrangements/situations (Little, 1994). A few of the women in my community have settled on the decision to begin their own families via the assistance of surrogates. Even more common than the so-called “nuclear family,” which consists of a mother, father, and their children, are single-parent households in today’s society, which now make up the majority of all families. The term “nuclear family” refers to a family unit that includes all members: mother, father, and their children. Single-parent families may take many different shapes and sizes in today’s society due to the proliferation of single-parent homes (Hook & Chalasani, 2008). Still others are run by moms, and others still are run by grandparents who are parenting their grandkids. Living with just one parent may be tough for both the adult and the children, despite the fact that this situation is very frequent. It is possible for a single parent to feel completely overwhelmed by all of the obligations that come with being a parent, including working, paying bills, and taking care of the house and children. Families consisting of just one parent often face a much greater number of challenges and obstacles than those consisting of two or more parents.

There is a recent rise in the number of single fathers who are solely responsible for the upbringing of their children. Despite the fact that there are substantial disparities, single fathers and single mothers have many of the same needs when it comes to assistance (Little, 1994). This includes assistance from their partners in the form of coparenting, as well as assistance from their friends, relatives, and other social connections (in my community, this includes churches, temples, and direct-service nonprofit groups). Because they are more likely to be living in poverty than married couples and their families, single-father households may also be eligible for services and assistance from the government (Hook & Chalasani, 2008). Last but not least, lone guys have a greater need for local as well as online support networks and services than single mothers do. These groups and activities need to include services geared at fathers in addition to mothers.

5. Over the Lifecourse

The idea that shifting demographics may result in a shortage of workers to care for elderly baby boomers worries those in charge of setting public policy at the municipal and federal levels. In the past, elderly people often relied on their children and extended families as their primary source of care when they need assistance and support for a prolonged length of time (Mitchell, 2006). This is no longer the case, however. The great majority of long-term services and supports focus on helping individuals with basic self-care or mobility tasks, as well as with household chores and other “activities of daily living” (Gaymu et al., 2010). Actions that are seen as routine include dressing, taking a shower, using the restroom, and eating. Each of these daily activities—grocery shopping, cooking your own food, and managing finances—is crucial to daily living. Compared to past generations, baby boomers divorce more often, and more women of childbearing age are entering the workforce (Mitchell, 2006). Due to these developments, it’s probable that husbands and kids may have less time in the future to spend caring for their loved ones. The loss of these traditional caregivers may increase the number of people who use the formal system for long-term care, the number of people who need support but are unable to get it, and the number of people who rely on government health programs as more people approach an age where functional decline is common.

The aging of the global population coincides with the most significant changes that are now occurring in economies and cultures throughout the globe. All of these factors, as well as the number, kind, and locations in which they choose to build their houses, have an impact on the environment in which older people live (Gaymu et al., 2010). The traditional family, which has historically been the main source of financial security and social support for older people in many parts of the world, has been the main source of social support and concerns have been raised about the possibility that some of these trends may result in its dissolution. In today’s culture, the majority of elderly people either live alone, with a married couple, or with a married couple and one or more of their unmarried offspring, which is in contrast to the pattern of families living together in the past (Mitchell, 2006). There is a gradual but persistent shift occurring in my neighborhood away from multigenerational families and toward nuclear family homes, which were more prevalent in the past. This change in living and family structures reflects a general trend. Families with only one or two members are becoming more common.

References

Beaupré, P., Dryburgh, H., & Wendt, M. (2010). Making fathers “count”. Canadian Social Trends, 90, 26-34.

Bell, J. (2013). Putting Dad in the Picture: fatherhood in the popular women’s magazines of 1950s Australia. Women’s History Review, 22(6), 904-929.

Berkowitz, D., & Marsiglio, W. (2007). Gay men: Negotiating procreative, father, and family identities. Journal of Marriage and family, 69(2), 366-381.

Crowley, J. E. (2019). Gray divorce: Explaining midlife marital splits. Journal of women & aging, 31(1), 49-72.

Dillaway, H., & Paré, E. (2008). Locating mothers: How cultural debates about stay-at-home versus working mothers define women and home. Journal of Family Issues, 29(4), 437-464.

Gaymu, J., Busque, M. A., Légaré, J., Décarie, Y., Vézina, S., & Keefe, J. (2010). What will the family composition of older persons be like tomorrow? A comparison of Canada and France. Canadian Journal on Aging/La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 29(1), 57-71.

Hook, J. L., & Chalasani, S. (2008). Gendered expectations? Reconsidering single fathers’ child‐care time. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70(4), 978-990.

Hopkins, J. J., Sorensen, A., & Taylor, V. (2013). Same‐Sex Couples, Families, and Marriage: Embracing and Resisting Heteronormativity 1. Sociology Compass, 7(2), 97-110.

Little, M. H. (1994). ” Manhunts and Bingo Blabs”: The Moral Regulation of Ontario Single Mothers. Canadian Journal of Sociology/Cahiers canadiens de sociologie, 233-247.

Millar, P., & Goldenberg, S. (1998). Explaining child custody determinations in Canada. Canadian Journal of Law and Society/La Revue Canadienne Droit et Société, 13(2), 209-225.

Mitchell, B. A. (2006). Changing courses: The pendulum of family transitions in comparative perspective. Journal of comparative family studies, 37(3), 325-343.