With so many families becoming fragmented these days, it's hardly any wonder that there is so much emphasis from governments as they attempt to put the focus on the family unit in an effort to reunite the nation. I have to be honest and say I hated my childhood simply because there were constant rows in the house. Everyone was always shouting and screaming at one another, and this was not something that just happened occasionally or even most of the time, but every single day of every week for years and years. It got so bad that I hated going to school and once school was over, I hated going home.
Today, there are so many talk shows and news programs that vie for our attention. It seems that each chooses similar themes to concentrate on. The recent theme which seems to dominate is to focus on the family. At least this is a broad enough topic so you are not faced with watching and listening to the same information over and over. We have shows on the family feud, dysfunction in the family, family and kids issues, family counseling, and all other kinds of family focus topics.
I happened to watch parts of two different television programs that involved a focus on the family. The first program was about the changing eating habits of the American family and the vast reaching impact this is having on our society. The majority of families that were interviewed reported that they eat meals together once or twice a week. The rest of the meals are family members eating when they have time or going through the drive through. Many families will pick up take out or will order in food and then everyone fills a plate and eats their food where they want to in the home. This does not allow anytime for there to be a focus on the family.
It’s a sad fact that many families these days do not function as a family unit. Selfishness and loner behavioural patterns are in fact commonplace. So the message behind this TV program was to promote family togetherness by encouraging them to make the effort and spend more quality time with each other, even if this meant just one relaxed and unhurried meal together. The dinner table is a great place for family communications and also helps teach proper table manners and etiquette, which are skills that many people are greatly lacking in.
The second television program that I watched had a focus on the family in regards to finances. Many people find that they are living pay check to pay check and are deeply indebt through credit cards as well as mortgage payments and car loans. The debt adds stress to families in several ways. Often times two incomes is no longer enough to cover the debt so one or both parents take a second job. This means that there is less time to focus on the family and to support each other with day to day needs. This also means that the adults are often so exhausted when they are at home that they want to rest and relax before needing to repeat the process the next day.
The problem with modern society seems to be that we are addicted to 'more'. We're no longer happy with one car, one TV set, or one of anything. In fact, in many cases the focus on family life has been replace with individual wants, which could be interpreted into selfish greed and to hell with anyone or anything that tries to get in the way. I personally know folks that have sacrificed family holidays for new cars, carpets, and fancy furniture. Although these 'wants' may be fine for childless couples or parents with grown up children, it's really quite self-centered behavior for those folks with young kiddies who could really benefit from a holiday with mum and dad.
The 2-jobs type of routine allows for focus on the family only in times of crisis. This is a problem because if family members are not feeling a bond to each other it is difficult to come together in a crisis. This TV program was encouraging people to get their personal finances under control by working with a financial advisor or debt consolidation program.
There are no easy answers on how to place more focus on the family, but this is a crisis in our country that is not going to go away without action. Each family needs to decide what works best for their household and follow through with a plan of action. At the end of the day, what's the point of having children you hardly ever see, let alone bond with! So many kids these days come home and lock themselves away in their bedrooms which are fully kitted out like little studio apartments. Is that really a good example of a happy family?
