More and more, it seems like the family is playing less of a role in the lives of young people around the country. In years past, children would do the right thing because they were taught well starting at home. Sure, there have always been a few bad eggs, but you could generally count on things working out in a positive manner. With our lives becoming busier and the divorce rate continuing to hover at fifty percent, it is no wonder that many children these days are falling through the cracks.
Living in a family unit benefits individuals in many ways, including what follows below:
Support
While many may argue that support can come in all kinds of forms, a well-adjusted family is the number one place for young people to realize what true support means. Unconditional love and a genuine concern for the child’s well-being are incumbent in most functioning families.
Love
Love is of course, not entirely limited to the realm of the nuclear family. However, growing up in a cohesive family unit with the support and care one needs is the first experience children have when it comes to love. Children who live outside of the traditional family unit often have confused notions of exactly what love is because they don’t have loving and nurturing modeled for them regularly.
Strength
Strength comes not only from within, but from a variety of sources. Upbringing plays a large role in the way a child demonstrates his or her strength, both emotionally and related to character. It takes strength to get through the tough times that families experience, and ultimately only serves to make everyone stronger when dealing with adversity, etc.
Work Ethic
Work ethic starts at home, this is for sure. As children grow up, they see what their parents must do in order to keep the family afloat. It takes hard work and perseverance to make sure that everyone is properly cared for, including food, shelter, clothing, and anything above and beyond the basic needs. Families are hard work, and living in one that works well is proof enough of this fact.
Values
It is far easier to teach children about values when you put them into practice in your own lives. Leading by example is the best way to prove your point, and family and marriage is no exception. If you want your children to be honest, faithful, trustworthy, loving, or have any number of other positive character traits, this all starts in the home. How can you tell a child not to give up if you gave up on your spouse or family? It’s not possible, with a few exceptions. However, living in a positive and loving environment will go a long way toward making children great adults.
This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of online dating sites. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com