Your relationships with family members influence your total health.

siblings

nuclear family

blended family

extended family

foster care

role

affirmation

The Family Unit

There are many kinds of families, but all family members have certain responsibilities toward each other.

Your relationships with your family are some of the most important relationships in your life.

The Family Unit

Family members may be related to each other by birth, marriage, or adoption.

The Family Unit

Healthy families help children and teens

develop the values and skills to become successful members of society.

avoid behaviors that may put their health at risk.

Types of Families

When you think about families, you may picture your own parents or siblings.

SiblingsYour brothers and sisters

Types of Families

To some people, the word family suggests a nuclear family.

Nuclear familyTwo parents and one or more children living in the same place.

Types of Families

Single-parent families are families with one parent caring for one or more children.

 

A child may live with one parent after a divorce or the other parent’s death.

Types of Families

Blended families form when a single parent remarries. The new couple may also decide to add to their blended family by having more children.

Blended familyA married couple and their children from previous marriages

Types of Families

Some people live with extended family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Extended familyA family that includes additional relatives beyond parents and children

Types of Families

Adoptive families consist of a parent or parents and one or more adopted children.

 

Some families have both biological children and adopted children.

Types of Families

Children may be live with foster families because of problems like abuse.

Foster carethe temporary placement of children in the homes of adults who are not related to them

Family Interactions

Roles and Responsibilities of Parents or Guardians

Meet the family’s basic needs.

Establish rules and set limits.

Teach the reasons for rules.

Teach values and skills.

Family Interactions

Roles and Responsibilities of Children and Teens

Respect the authority of parents or guardians

Take on more responsibilities, such as doing chores or caring for younger siblings.

Your Family and Your Health

Your family members contribute to your health.

Beyond that, being part of a healthy family can strengthen all three aspects of your health.

Your Family and Your Health

Ultimately, healthy families are the foundation of a healthy society.

Promoting Physical Health

setting limits on behavior.

providing medical care.

providing for your basic physical needs.

Your family promotes your physical health by:

teaching health skills.

Promoting Physical Health

meeting your need to feel valued and recognized.

giving you love and support, helping to meet your need to feel that you belong.

providing a safe environment for you to express and deal with your emotions.

Your family promotes your mental and emotional health by:

Promoting Mental and Emotional Health

Family members can provide affirmation by celebrating each other’s achievements or showing appreciation for the ways you help out at home.

AffirmationPositive feedback that helps others feel appreciated and supported

Promoting Social Health

Your family promotes your social health by:

teaching you how to communicate and get along with others.

teaching you how to cooperate with others and how to resolve conflicts.

Values

Parents promote social health by helping children develop core ethical values, including

responsibility honesty respect

Learning these values is a key to developing strong character.

Cultural Heritage

Sharing culture and traditions enriches the lives of family members.

 

It helps family members develop a sense of cultural identity and creates important social bonds that extend beyond the family.

After You ReadReviewing Facts and Vocabulary

A sibling is a brother or sister.

1. What is a sibling?

After You ReadReviewing Facts and Vocabulary

2. Name three kinds of families.

Any three: nuclear family, single-parent family, blended family, extended family, adoptive family, foster family

After You ReadReviewing Facts and Vocabulary

3. Identify four ways in which families promote the physical health of children and teens.

Meeting basic physical needs including food, clothing, and shelter; providing medical care; setting limits on behaviors; teaching health skills