Tapestry of Faith: Families: A Jr. High School Youth Program that Explores the Diversity, Commonality, and Meaning of Families

Taking It Home: Many Families

Part of Families

According to reports from the Census Bureau, a majority of all households in the nation are now headed by unmarried adults. There are now more one-person households (28.7 million) than there are households containing married couples with minor children (24.1 million). Family diversity has become the norm. - UnmarriedAmerica.org

For the first time in the 210-year history of its existence, the U.S. Census 2000 allowed Americans to identify themselves as multiracial. This is important because the multiracial community of children, who now account for four percent of all children under age 18, is continuing to grow. Most multiracial, bicultural/biracial, or mixed-race children have, from birth, been intimately exposed to more than one lifestyle, speech pattern, cultural norm, and racial group. - Northwest Regional Education Laboratory

DURING TODAY'S SESSION . . .

We analyzed mainstream media images of families for family diversity. We watched a film that affirms family diversity through the use of children who talk about how they feel about their families.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER: TALK ABOUT . . .

Diversity within your own family. How are the families of your parents or caregivers diverse? Often we think about ethnic diversity, but there are many ways to be different. For instance, do all members of your extended family come from the same region of the country? Do some families prefer rural living to urban? Is there religious diversity present?

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER: TRY . . .

Examining how your family expresses its values. How do families in your neighborhood know you support family diversity? How do they know you believe that love is the foundation of a family? Have a discussion among your family members. How can you show support? Perhaps you already do with a rainbow sticker on your door or car or with a rainbow flag. In what other ways can your family show visible support for family diversity?

Cafe Press has many stickers and bumper stickers. Northern Sun also carries these items, posters, and t-shirts.

FAMILY DISCOVERY

One of the things that experts say makes a family healthy and strong is the time they spend together. In our busy world, it is often hard to find that time. With your family, make a list of all your activities, as individuals and together. Review the list and discuss the following:

1. What is most important activity you engage in individually and as a family?

2. Which activities are least important? What activities, if any, do not bring you much happiness? Are you willing to cut out one or more of these activities to have more family time?

3. If so, develop some suggestions of ways to use this extra time together, and plan an activity.

4. If you already spend a good amount of time together, are you spending it in a way that feels right to all family members?