African American Family Struggles

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According to our Marriage and Families textbook, a key feature of African American families is that everyone in the extended family plays a part in raising the children, especially the grandparents. Although I can be grateful that while my grandmother was in good health, she took care of me as a child.
As I mentioned in my genogram, obesity runs in my family. Both my mom and dad are overweight. Whether I realized it or not, this had an effect on my childhood. Their weight prevented them from participating in certain activities. They could never be 100% hands-on with me. Their eating habits also affected the way I look at food even now. It is difficult for me to develop a consistent exercise and nutrition plan. It is easy to see the long-term …show more content…
My mom was born Catholic, but she converted to Adventism. As a result, I was born into the Adventist church. However, my dad has always been nonreligious. Perhaps this is why he was never opposed to my mom raising me as an Adventist. I remember being young and confused about my dad never attending church with us. At my church in particular, the family is valued. Father’s day programs and banquets as well as dating and marriage seminars are held. It is easy to feel out of place when the pastor asks all the dads in the congregation to stand and I know that mine is not there. I have no idea how, but my parents have managed to stay married for over 20 years in spite of their religious differences. It has always been a sensitive issue for me because I know that the Bible speaks about being unequally yoked. II Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked, together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (NKJV). Although I tend to take on an avoidant attitude on this issue, the thought of my dad not going to Heaven worries and saddens …show more content…
My mom has nine siblings: five brothers and four sisters. It seems like every time we visit Dominica, there is another sibling we had no clue about. Our family is so large and diverse and I would love to have a family reunion one day. If there is anything our family is lacking, it is a sense of community as a whole. One day, it is my hope that my dad’s side of the family will meet with my mom’s side of the family and form ties with each other. It would be like an extension of the family dynamics already present in my home. I am always interested in seeing differences within my parents and I believe that it has helped shape me into a well-rounded individual. This continues with the theme of social constructionism in my family. Although I am attending a Seventh-day Adventist university, I will some day work on a career in which I will be exposed to many different types of people. Seeing the interactions between my parents gives me an idea of what it means to adapt to a culture unlike your own. There must be compromise and acceptance of things you would not necessarily support or believe in. There must be a realization that some people are willing to challenge your beliefs and everything you stand for. You must be prepared to take a stand and know your core values. There are countless ways my parents have impacted me, without directly saying a word. When I think of how far I have come, I am reminded to
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