Happy and healthy (The family unit)

Member Name: geordieger

Product:	The family unit
Date:	13/07/01 (18 review reads)
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Before I begin, I want to ask you a question. What exactly is a family? Do you see a family as a mum, dad(married, of course) and 2.4 kids living happily in suburbia, or do you see family as the young single mother coping on her own with her children? Is it the couple in the flat upstairs who have been together two years and have a new baby, and have recently gotten engaged? Is it the two lesbians with the only child? Is it the people down the road who have an endless stream of grandparents, aunts and uncles visiting? Is it the children living with their grandparents?

OK, you have your own opinion of what a family is. Now let me tell you about mine. I'm 26, married for 5 years and have two young children aged three and 23 months. I met my partner at 18 and within six months we were living together. An idyllic life, right?

Well not really, because I didn't tell you why I moved in with my partner. When I was young I lived with my parents, and my brother. My parents struggled on through 25 years of marriage, trying to stay together even though my dad had a drink problem, and was a controlling tyrant. My mother had no life, so to speak. If she was late home by five minutes my dad would rant for hours before going to the pub.

Life at home was hell. We were expected to succeed at everything and to do exactly what my dad said no questions asked. Needless to say I was very unhappy.

When the chance of a flat came up when I was 18 I jumped at the chance. My partner and I moved in together and struggled by until we found proper jobs.

I was overjoyed when my family was born. I love my kids to pieces, and have a deep love and admiration for my partner. Sure, we argue but we try to make sure that our kids have a good life, and do everything as a family, from trips to the beach to the weekly shop.

My mother left my father after 25 years of being married and has met her partner, who she has been living w
ith for a year. My mother's partner has a 14 year old son, so I now have a (kind of) stepbrother.

My mother and my partner's mother are both very involved in the upbringing of our children, and my partner has 4 brothers(all married), so their are always aunts and uncles around. We are eternally grateful for the help(both physical and monetary), that we receive.


I am determined that my kids don't remember their family life as I remember mine. We are the classic nuclear family, but then again we have the love and support from our extended family also.

As much, though, as we are a family so are all the examples I gave earlier. A family is whatever you perceive it to be. I think that a family is important, and a happy family that doesn't conform to the perceived norm, is better than a married couple who are just staying together for the kids.

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