So What's With Families Anyways?

 

Families.

Everyone knows about them, everyone has them (to some degree). Families come in different shapes and sizes in the world that we live in today, as well as many dynamics. There have been many debates and discussions as to what makes the most optimal family unit, with some of them going as far as discussing if the family has a huge impact on individuals or not. I have a lot to say about this topic, as family means a lot to me. With that being said, before I get into this, I need to introduce myself and my values so that you, the reader, can understand where I'm coming from!

So, let's start with the most important part, which is the fact that I am indeed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some people may know us as "Mormons" or "LDS." Some of you are very familiar with what members of our church believe in, especially when it comes to the family unit. For those who aren't familiar, we believe that the family unit is one of, if not, the most significant units in the world. We believe that the stronger the family is, the stronger our society as a whole will function, which is not only a spiritual belief but is one that is backed by countless research and studies.

This may seem like common sense on paper for a lot of you, but the truth is, the world doesn't actually feel the same way. In fact, the world as we know it is starting to disregard the family. "Increasing numbers of people are living alone. In 2020, 36.2 million Americans lived alone. People live alone because they are widowed, divorced, separated, or never married. Some of them will eventually marry. Others will opt-willingly or unwillingly-to remain single" (Lauer & Lauer 10). Now, I don't know about you guys, but 35.2 million is a lot of people, and that was in 2020. It's 2026 now, and the trend lines have only been getting worse, not better.

This bothers me a lot, and it's not just because I believe the family is very important for our society. It also bothers me because of the effects that it has on children. Studies have shown that a child growing up in a dysfunctional or non-existent family has ties to them developing intense feelings of loneliness that can last all the way through adulthood. This is because the family for the child is a critical source of intimacy and love that every human being needs and craves. When this happens to a child, a lot of unfortunate things are likely to happen. "Common problems of the lonely include depression, difficulty in controlling their moods and their thinking patterns, a proneness to addictive behaviors, low energy, and feelings of fatigue" (Lauer & Lauer 5). I want to make sure that you guys know that I am not saying that everyone that comes from a bad family life is destined to have these issues. People can thrive and live happy lives despite their family background. What I am saying, however, is that it definitely has an impact. A big one.

In fact, in high school, I remember having a friend that came from a horrible family and how badly that affected him. He would tell me how, more than anything, how he wished that he could come home to a family where there was love and trust instead of having to constantly worry if his guard was up enough or not. He went on to say that the lack of trust in his home impacted how he was able to have trust in his other relationships, especially romantically. I definitely don't come from a perfect family by any means, but my family dynamic was definitely the opposite. Hearing my friend opening up about how much his poor family life really impacted him opened my eyes a lot, which is why I am now writing this blog.

Starting with this first post, I'm going to be exploring the topic of families, going over the different ways why they're so important and what elements contribute to a healthy and functioning family. Because of my beliefs and values, I'll be mentioning statements from our church about those things as well. Science and spirituality go together, after all! With that being said, I hope this first blog was a good way to show how critical the family is. With the rapid decline in families across our society, the larger the increase in loneliness in young kids and adolescents. Please comment with your thoughts! I would love to see them and interact with any ideas you have!