Fluent Essays

Sociology Sociology of the Family TEXTBOOK The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society Authors: Bryan Strong, et. al. Wadsworth Publishing (13th edition) Sociology of the Family The Meaning of Marriage & the Family Before We Talk About the Family Family studied from a sociological perspective – why? Sociology Sociological Perspective Level 1 & Level 2 Social Reality Sociology What is Sociology? Study of human behavior in groups Part of the Social Sciences Five Major Social Sciences Sociology/Anthropology Psychology History Political Science Economics Sociology, Psychology, Social Work Sociology – study of human behavior in groups; theoretical science Psychology – study of individual behavior; theoretical and applied science Social work – helping profession involved in the study of individual, group and family behavior; theoretical and applied science, systems oriented Back to Definition of Sociology Study of human behavior in groups What do we mean by the term ‘groups?’ 2+ people socially interacting Demographic variables Demographic Variables Individual trait you possess that places you into a group or social category 3 major demographic variables most looked at by sociologists: Race/ethnicity Social class Gender The Sociological Perspective How sociology does what it does Uses the Sociological Perspective Fresh, unique look at the world Non-biased look Level 1 & Level 2 Gives us two levels of understanding Level 1 – Your own perspective/version of the world Level 2 – Another perspective Time and space/historical perspective – we are affected by our family history How all this affects families Shapes our own perspectives This influences our sense of self, our view of ourselves and our families Influences our view of the world and our place in it More Terms Socialization - process by which we learn behavior Agents of Socialization - those people/groups that teach us our behavior, examples? - parents, peers, teachers Norms - mores and folkways Norms – Marriage & Family All societies have norms (mores and/or folkways) regarding marriage and family Examples? Who we can marry, how many we can marry, where we have to live, who has the authority in a marriage, etc. Definition of Family Family - a group of two or more persons related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together in a household What is Missing from the Definition of the Family? Love Family Types Nuclear Extended Single parent Reconstituted/step Cohabitators (homosexual and heterosexual) Family of procreation Family of orientation Economic unit WHO’S A FAMILY? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39177707/ns/us_news-life/ Which Family Type is Best? Nuclear Extended Single parent Reconstituted/step Cohabitators (hetero/homosexual) Family of procreation Family of orientation Economic unit http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC21/Coontz.htm Traditional Families Begin With Marriage - Definition of Marriage Now - Legally recognized union between a two individuals in which they are united sexually, cooperate economically, and may give birth to, adopt or rear children Gay Marriage Marriage between same sex partners legal in the U.S. since 2015 Functions of Family Intimacy, emotional security, support Economic cooperation Socialization and Reproduction Assignment of Statuses and Roles Statuses & Roles Status- a position we hold Ascribed Status – a position we are born into Achieved Status – a position we achieve Role – expected behavior for our statuses Role Conflicts – a problem we have in fulfilling the roles in a status or between statuses Role Conflict Let’s Go Back To Norms Re: Marriage & the Family All societies and cultures have norms (legal, religious, and/or social rules) about who we can marry, how many we can marry, where we have to live, who has the authority in a marriage, etc. Marriage & Family Forms Re: How Many We Can Marry Monogamy - true monogamy - serial monogamy Polygamy Having more than one spouse at one time 75\% of the current world Polygyny Men can have more than one wife Found in Christianity and Islam East Asia, Middle East, Russia, Bosnia, Turkey, Africa, the U.S., et. al. Chimpanzees Polyandry Women can have more than one husband Tibet, Canadian Arctic, Toda of South India, parts of Mongolia, Subsaharan Africa, indigenous communities in the U.S. Judaism and Islam ban polyandry Crickets, new world monkeys What Determines Type of Polygamy? Population figures - more women, men can have more than one wife (polygyny) - more men, women can have more than one husband (polyandry) Affidavit: Fearful 16-year-old bride made late-night call Frightened and PG for 2nd time in one year, 16 yr. old borrows a cell phone and makes the call to authorities She was wife #7 and had been beaten repeatedly Re: Social Class Exogamy - marrying outside one’s group Endogamy - marrying inside one’s group Homogamy - tend to marry someone similar “Inbreeding” Genetic considerations Social and psychological considerations Economic considerations Re: Residence Patrilocal beliefs - living with the husband’s parents Matrilocal - living with the wife’s parents Neolocal - can choose where to live (tend to live apart from parents) Re: Descent Lines Last Name? Patrilineal descent line beliefs (95\% of world) goes through the man’s last name Matrilineal (5\% of world) goes through the woman’s last name Bilineal can choose (most likely man’s) What’s in a Name? Everything… Why not take a woman’s last name? Tradition/culture/family Socialization, ridicule from other men Identity Not in control then Mr… Only 12\% of men marry someone who makes more money than they do Re: Authority Patriarchy Matriarchy Egalitarianism Kinship Systems All the people you are related to Primary relatives Secondary relatives Tertiary relatives Primary Relatives - you, your parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins Secondary Relatives your grandparents, their siblings (your parents’ aunts/uncles) and their children (your parents’ cousins) Tertiary Relatives - your great grandparents, their siblings, and their children Other Types of Relatives Consanguine relatives Conjugal relatives Fictive kin Rights & Obligations Right – what one is entitled to legally, socially, or morally from one’s family members (what you get) Obligation – what one must do, legally, socially, or morally for one’s family members (what you have to do) Examples? Social Organization of the Family Hierarchy - ranking of family members – usually by power/money Norms - rules for behavior Division of Labor - specialized roles Genograms A family history tree + demographic variables + social interaction information http://www.genopro.com/ Chp. 2 - Theoretical Perspectives on Families Family Ecology Theory Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) Cornell U., Harvard U., U. of Michigan Letchworth Village, Haverstraw, NY Family Ecology Theory How the environment affects the family and vice versa and how the family adapts to the envir. What environments do families encounter? - microsystems – immediate influences (family, peers, etc.) - mesosystems – microsystem interconnections - exosystems – don’t participate but affect you (parents work affects children) - macrosystems - culture Structural Functionalism Sees society as a large structure with subsystems (and family is one subsystem) Structural Functionalism Looks at the family within the context of society Examines functions the family serves for society Examines the functions the family members serve for their own family Looks at the needs the family meets for individual members of the family When needs not being met or functions not properly performed can cause dysfunction Structural Functionalism Influenced by biology Sees society as a living organism with parts (subsystems); each part has functions Sees groups (the family) and individuals in the family as a part with their own functions Analyze functions When can dysfunction be functional? Family Systems Theory Also sees family as structure of related parts or subsystems Subsystems should maintain boundaries Structure can be seen in family’s interactions Resists change but succumbs to it Statuses and roles Symbolic Interactionism Ernest Burgess (1886-1966) U. of Chicago Defined family as “unity of interacting personalities” These then defined the nature of the family (i.e., happy family, etc.) Symbolic Interactionism Looks at interactions in relationships Verbal, non-verbal interactions/symbols (not just what you say but how you say it) Interactions Lead to Formation of the “Self” Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929) Taught at U. of Michigan “Looking glass self” – 1) we picture our appearance of ourselves, traits and personalities. 2) We then use the reactions of others to interpret how others visualize us. 3) We develop our own Self-concept, based on our interpretations. Our Self-concept can be enhanced or diminished by our conclusions. The Self So, we see ourselves as others see us Sense of self is first taught and maintained by the family Conflict Theory Looks at power and conflict in relationships Natural part of family life Frequency, degree of conflict issues Origin of Conflict Theory Karl Marx (1818-1883) Frederich Engels (1820-1895) The Communist Manifesto (1848) Social class Bourgeoisie v. Proletariat Men/Women; Parents/Children Struggle for? Resources, power Sources of Power/Conflict Money Children Sex Physical coercion Levels of love and commitment Legitimacy Division of labor Conflict Theory Assumptions People in relationships are motivated by self-interests, competition Differences lead to conflict Conflict not easily measured or evaluated Much conflict is private Consequences of Not Resolving Power & Control Issues Resentments Anger Low Self-Esteem Domestic Violence Child Abuse Social Exchange Theory See relationships from a cost-benefit basis Reward – Cost = Outcome Rewards and costs not always tangible (not necessarily measurable or seen) Ever ask, “What does he/she see in that person!!” Equity Exchanges should be fair, to balance out Deprived partners feel angry, resentful Methods to restore equity: - seek balance over time, not daily - convince oneself and others that unfair relationship is really fair - end the relationship Putting Theories Into Practice Virginia Satir (1916-1988) Milwaukee State Teacher’s College, U. of Chicago, IL Psychiatric Institute, Mental Health Research Institute in Menlo, CA Wrote Conjoint Family Therapy (1964), The New Peoplemaking (1988) Problems of low self-esteem in relationships *conjoint – meet with several members of the family at the same time Family/Marriage/Couples Therapy Families are the sum of their parts When parts are broken the sum can’t work Therapy is designed to nurture change and development Problems are seen to arise as a result of systemic interactions, rather than to be blamed on individual members Family therapists focus more on how patterns of interaction maintain the problem, instead of finding cause, as that assigns blame Family Therapists Most therapists are eclectic Must be degreed, certified and licensed M.S.W., M.A., Ph.D. – usually in Social Work or Psychology MFT – Marriage & Family Therapy Certification Generational Diversity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrqqD_Tsy4Q School Teachers Rate Top Problems 1945 Talking out of turn Chewing gum Making noise Running in the halls Cutting in line Dress-code violations Littering 2020 School violence, mass shootings Pandemics Drug abuse Alcohol abuse Pregnancy Suicide Rape, Robbery, Assault Objectives: To Clarify the Sociological Perspective Learn about the demographic makeup of each generation Learn about the values and viewpoints of each generation Learn how your own generational cohort shapes your perspective of the world Generational Generalizations Traditionalists (born 1925-1945) – 10\% Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) – 36\% Generation X (born 1965-1980) – 22\% Millennials/Generation Y (born 1981-2000) – 15\% Generation Z (born 2001-Present)- 13\% Traditionalists (born 1925-1945) “The Silent/Greatest Generation” Traditionalists (born 1925-1945) Pres. Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt (conservative, conservative, liberal) Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, World War II, movies, telephones, cars (just one) Traditionalists (born 1925-1945) http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_YIW/traditional.htm Their parents’ values go back to 1800s Patriotic, teamwork, respect for authority, loyalty, conformity, rules and detail oriented, disciplined, want control Defined sense of right and wrong Hold/held ¾ of the nation’s wealth Implied contract between workers of this generation and the company that would support them for life Traditionalists (born 1925-1945) Privacy (don’t share inner thoughts) Hard work (believe in paying dues) Trust (one’s word is important) Formality (in naming, dress) Social order (may be viewed as racist or sexist) Things (never know when you might need it) Prefer face to face or formal written communication Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) Almost 78 million boomers Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) Pres. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson (conservative, conservative, liberal, liberal) T.V. (especially family shows of the 50’s), suburbia, stay at home Moms, Korean and Vietnam Wars, Civil Rights Movement, integration of baseball and education As adults dealt with major social issues including abortion, the death penalty, racism, sexism Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) Did not experience economic hard times of their parents Competition, hard work, success, teamwork Inclusion, anti-rules and regulation Will fight for a cause Body language noticed and important Avoid controlling language Generation X (born 1965-1980) Generation X (born 1965-1980) Pres. Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan (liberal, conservative, conservative, liberal, conservative) Vietnam War, Women’s Rights Movement, continuation of Civil Rights, 70’s, hippies, sex, drugs, rock and roll, Woodstock, man on the moon, very beginning of the AIDS epidemic Generation X (born 1965-1980) Entrepreneurial spirit Economically more conservative than their parents Do not expect to rely on institutions for long term employment Independence (want to manage their own time) Creative and want access to lots of information Balance of work and home Email preferred communication tool Short sound bites, informal style Millennials/Generation Y (born 1981-2000) 2nd largest generation cohort Millennials (born 1981-2000) Pres. Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, G. W. Bush (conservative, conservative, liberal, conservative) HIV/AIDS, Operation Desert Storm Wall Street (Greed is Good) Home computers and the Internet is invented MTV, Rodney King, OJ Simpson Millennials (born 1981-2000) Rarely or never mailed anything with a stamp Only know bottled water, iced tea comes in bottles or cans First generation to be always connected (cell phones, computers) – Digital Natives But gap between haves and have nots is wider than in previous generations, so some have not had technology Always shopped in big box stores and eaten in chain restaurants Caller ID and bar codes always there “Google” is a verb GPS and rap music Stadiums have always had corporate names Millennials (born 1981-2000) Their lives very structured (play dates, organized sports, SAT prep courses, etc.) Team oriented (free play non-existent) Grew up protected (helmets, seat belts, etc.) Close relationship with parents (many live at home); only 6 in 10 raised by both parents Grew up with community service, globalization and multiculturalism Confident, upbeat, open to change Self-expressive (4 in 10 have tattoos, 1 in 4 have piercing other than in an earlobe) Millennials (born 1981-2000) Embrace multiple modes of communication (78\% have a profile on a social media site) More ethnically and racially diverse than older generations (more likely to identify as bi- or multi-racial; 20\% have at least one immigrant parent) (doesn’t translate to increased intergroup contact b/c neighborhoods still segregated) LGBT more likely to self-identify and/or come out earlier than previous generations Least religiously affiliated, just 2\% of males join the military, supported Pres. Obama in 2008 So, Millennials (born 1981-2000) Special (grew up in child-centered world) Sheltered (parents fearful for their safety) Confident and optimistic (can-do attitude) Team-oriented (from organized group activities) Achieving (used to high stakes testing and zero tolerance policies) Pressured (trophy-child expectations) Conventional (comfortable with parents’ values) Generation Z (born 1995-Present) Also known as Generation M, the Net Generation, or the Internet Generation Lifelong use of communications and media technologies such as social media, text messaging, YouTube, and mobile phones (which are now carried in their pockets). A marked difference between Generation Y and Generation Z is that older members of the Gen Y remember life before the takeoff of mass technology, while Gen Z have been born completely within it. This generation has also been born completely into an era of globalization and multiculturalism. Generation Z Pres. Bush, Obama, Trump (conservative, liberal, conservative) Saw first serious female presidential candidate (Hillary Clinton) Internet, texting, social media, YouTube, facebook, Instagram,Twitter LGBT issues including gay marriage Major economic recession 9/11, terrorism, Iraq/Afghanistan Wars, school violence… Not to Mention Online Education Generation Z Watching ‘T.V.’ Now Dynamics & Diversity of Families: The History of the Family in the U.S. For Each Historical Period Describe… Families of production or families of consumption? Arranged or romantic love marriages? Family types and marriage forms? Group or individual focus? Change or decline? Native American Families 1100s-1500s Native American Families 240 cultural/family types Berdache Tolerance, diversity Colonial Families 1600s-1700s Colonial Families Largely European based families Influence of Puritanism/Calvinism Protestant work ethic Non-hedonism Sexually strict Bundling board Extended/reconstituted families Fathers emotional base Upper Class Bundling Board Victorian Families 1800s Victorian Families Industrialization Urbanization Immigration Breadwinner/Housewife Nuclear families Mothers starting to be the emotional base Arranged marriages to romantic love Companionate Families early 1900s Companionate Families Relationships should be emotionally and sexually satisfying for women Men should assist with household duties Notion of children and childhood changing Birth control, Margaret Sanger Anthony Amendment (19th), 1920 Women’s Suffrage Movement (1848-1920) Agenda: Abolition of slavery Right to vote Prohibition New Jersey New Jersey granted women the vote (since married women did not own property in their own right, only unmarried women and widows qualified) under the state constitution of 1776. New Jersey women, along with aliens...persons of color, or negroes, lost the vote in 1807, when the vote was restricted to white males. The Golden Age 1950s Why called “Golden Age?” WWII over, more affluent Much govt. financial support Women left their jobs so men could have jobs “The Golden Age” Dramatic influence of television Families watched t.v. together in one room And the shows they watched the most were shows about – FAMILIES! Leave It To Beaver (1957-1963) Father Knows Best (1954-1960) Ozzie & Harriet (1952-1966) 2nd Generation Nelsons The Way We Never Were Stephanie Coontz, Ph.D. Myths & Realities According to Dr. Coontz Myths – - traditional roles - mother/child relationship intense - families independent - families can meet all the needs of the individual - family related to values and morality - women shouldn’t work Realities Roles have been varies Mother/child relationship not always intense Women in the workforce Families need govt. support, can’t go it alone Families can’t meet all the needs of indiv. Family and values and morality not necessarily together Momism and the Motherhood Mystique Momism – over-attachment to Mother; blame Mom for everything Motherhood Mystique - Women should want to be mothers and instinctively know how to be mothers; women are fulfilled by being mothers Consequences of Motherhood Mystique Post-partum depression Infanticide Andrea Yates Why Would Moms Do This? Mother love not universal Money No support Psychological problems Emotional immaturity http://www.aaanet.org/press/motherskillingchildren.htm Contemporary Families 1960s-Present Diverse family forms Factors promoting change from the Golden Age: - economic changes - technological innovations - demographic changes - gender role changes - cultural changes Women’s Liberation Movement (1960s-1973) Agenda: private relationship issues, public issues work/ pay equity, abortion, including women of color and lesbians Let’s Examine the Effect of Social Class on Families What do we get from our social class? Life chances, Lifestyles Health, safety, religious and political views Class variations regarding the family experience (age at marriage/parenthood, division of household labor, socialization, sexuality, domestic violence, divorce) Social Stratification Systems Social Stratification – a ranking system How can societies stratify their members? Income, occupation, education, gender, race, religion, etc. Open v. Closed Systems Social Class v. Caste Systems http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/india.htm Social Class in the U.S. 9 major classes Upper – upper, middle, lower Middle – upper, middle, lower Lower – upper, middle, lower Upper - $250K+ Middle - $25K - $250K Lower – Below $25K Social Class Variations in Families Upper Class Families 7\%-10\% of all families Have the bulk of the wealth Sex-segregated marriages Women often serve as support to successful husbands Women often volunteer Have servants Middle Class Families At least 70\% of the population Ideologically egalitarian Two-career marriages Women still hold bulk of responsibility for housework and child-care Working/Lower Class Families 25\% of the population Marriages least stable Men often absent from daily family life Highest divorce rates Highest nonmarital childbearing Highest poverty rates among single mother headed households Social Class is Dynamic Social Mobility Vertical Horizontal Intergenerational Race refers to the concept of dividing people into groups on the basis of certain physical characteristics such as skin color, facial features, and hair texture. Ethnicity refers to the country into which you are born. U.S. Total Population Figures 1790 - 3.9 million 1830 – 12.8 million 1850 – 23 million 1890 – 63 million 1910 – 92 million 1930 – 123 million 1950 – 151 million 1960 – 179 million 1970 – 203 million 1980 – 226 million 1990 – 248 million 2000 – 281 million 2013 – 310 million U.S. Population - 2013 310 million total population in U.S. 172 million European Americans 46 million Latino/Hispanic Americans (projected to be 102 million in 2050; was 22 million in 1990) 38 million African Americans 15-16 million Asian Americans 4-5 million Arab Americans Immigration Movement of individuals or groups to the U.S. from other countries Why? Push vs. Pull factors Assimilation Acculturation African American Families Legacy of Slavery (1619-1865) By 1860, 4 million slaves in the U.S. Slaves, average age: 35 Slave Families Slaves not allowed to marry legally Slave children often grew up in families w/out their own biological parents; this separation undermined authority of parents Slave spouses often lived on different plantations Slaves Were Bought and Sold So, families were separated, sometimes forever Bucks and Wenches… Slave Families Some slaves were forced to “breed” From the ages of 13-20 female slaves expected to have 5 children already One slave trader from Virginia boasted that his breeding policies enabled him to sell 6,000 slave children a year Non-Compliant Slaves… Were whipped and brutalized And Really Non-Compliant Slaves… Got the iron mask and collar… More on Slave Families Originally from Africa, some practiced polygamy In U.S. had monogamous relationships, not arranged, based on love Gender roles divided Sometimes large kinship systems Slaves would not ‘marry’ first cousins, unlike the white plantation owners Slave Cabin Sexual Abuse of Slaves and Master/Slave Relationships Some masters, like James H. Hammond (1807-1864), a Congressman, Governor, and U.S. Senator from South Carolina, took slave mistresses. Sen. James Hammond Hammond, whose wife bore him eight children, purchased an 18-year-old slave named Sally and her infant daughter, Louisa, in 1839. He made Sally his mistress, and fathered several children by her, and then when the daughter reached the age of 12, fathered several children by her. Slave Marriage Through it all, African Americans displayed strong family values to be together despite risks Contemporary African American Families About 38 million African Americans in U.S. 80\% are descendants of captive Africans who were enslaved 20\% are voluntary immigrants from Africa, the Carribbean, South America, etc. Contemporary African American Families Less likely to marry No more likely to divorce or be widowed More likely to live in single-parent mostly mother-headed families Less likely to complete college Less likely to be employed Race wage gap 85\% compared to gender wage gap of 73\% More likely to live in poverty Contemporary African American Families Continued Long history of dual wage earner families More like to have egalitarian roles Slightly higher rate of marital distress and domestic violence Kinship bonds important b/c they provide emotional and financial support More likely to live in extended households Upper class African American families just as stable as Middle and Upper Class Caucasian families Latino Families Latino Families About 46 million Latinos in the U.S. 66\% Mexican, 10\% Puerto Rican and Cuban, 17\% from Central and South America, etc. Much diversity, as with all groups For example, unmarried Cuban mothers 27\%, Mexicans 41\%, and Puerto Ricans 60\%, highest to lowest educational levels respectively. Latino Families Value family unity, loyalty to the family, and an emphasis on cooperation rather than competition among family members and friends Familism is a value that underlies the strong Latino identification with members of the extended family. Latino families have a strong sense of family identification and structure as well as support for extended family. The extended family often includes not only blood relatives but also non-blood relatives such as the best man (padrino), maid of honor (madrina), and godparents (compadre and comadre). Asian American Families Asian American Families About 15-16 million Asian Americans in U.S. Major ethnic groups: 23\% Chinese, 20\% Filipino, 16\% Asian Indian, 10\% each Korean and Vietnamese, 9\% Japanese More than half of all Asian Americans live in 3 states: CA, NY, and HI Asian American Families 60\% of Asians in the U.S. are married – a higher percentage than the national total of 54\%. Certain Asian groups in the U.S. have even higher rates of marriage: 67\% of Asian Indians and 67\% of Pakistanis are married. Only 4\% of Asians in the U.S. are divorced – lower than the national total of 9.7\%. Only 3\% female headed households, also lower than the national average of 12\%. Traditional vs. Contemporary Asian American Marriages/Families 2/3 of Japanese & Chinese report marriages based on responsibility not necessarily love. 3/4 of Japanese-American women and Chinese-American women surveyed said that dating Asian-American men was difficult, because the men wanted the women to adopt traditional, submissive gender roles, while the women were looking for men who would share child-rearing and household responsibilities. Arab American Families Arab American Families About 4-5 million Arab Americans in U.S. Immigrated from North Africa or the Middle East Closely identified with religion The countries of the Arab world largely follow Islam However, most Arab Americans are Christian (70\%); 30\% are Muslim Early Arab American Immigration Early immigration of Arabs to the U.S. took place between 1886 - 1914. Most came from greater Syria (included Libya, Palestine, Jordan, and Iran). The majority were poor and under-educated. There were many thousands of Arabs working as slaves on plantations. Others were primarily traders, peddlers, industrial workers and farmers. Later some enterprises grew into large businesses such as Haggar and Farah. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Immigration slowed during the period between W.W.I and W.W.II (1915 - 1945) due to immigration laws. Later Arab American Immigration Arabs who immigrated to the U.S. after 1945 were more educated, professional, and mainly of the Muslim faith. Most came from Egypt, Iran and Palestine. This group has been able to retain more of their culture than the earlier group. Those who arrived during the first group attempted to distant themselves from the Arab world by adopting western culture and language. Arab American Families In a traditional Arab-American family, gender and age plays a big role in defining family role responsibilities. The father is usually the head of the family and the provider for its needs, while the mother has the primary responsibility of raising the children and taking care of the house. Sons and Daughters of Arab Americans Sons and daughters are taught to follow the inherited traditions and are given responsibilities that correspond with their age and gender. Sons are usually taught to be protectors of their sisters and to help the father with his duties inside and outside the house. Daughters are taught to be the source of love and emotional support in the family, as well as helping their mother to take care of household chores. Arab American Families Although the parents have the responsibility of raising a child, family members, relatives, friends and neighbors share in taking care of each other’s children. A known Arabian proverb, “He who grows on something, will grow old with it,” means the behavior that children are being taught will be the behavior they will have as they grow older. Diversity No matter what the racial and ethnic background we can learn lessons from American’s original ancestors, Native Americans: Tolerance and Diversity…