Family Systems and Healthy Development Essay Example for Free

Family Systems and Healthy Development Essay Healthy development is generally understood as the progressive physical, emotional, cognitive and social maturation that takes place in a person’s life from conception onwards into adulthood. This process is further influenced by a continuous whirlwind of biological and environmental factors. Of the numerous environmental factors that an individual encounters over the course of the life span, it is clear to see family systems play a significant role and can be extremely impactful on the developmental process. To gain a better understanding of the impact of family on healthy development, it is worthwhile to consider the various family structures that exist in our culture. The portrait of the family in today’s society is no longer rigidly defined by marriage, which is characterized by a two parent household with children; rather there are increasing numbers of single parents, teen parents, divorced parents and same-sex couple parents. â€Å"Sometimes we forget the great variety of forms, not only of the families living amongst us, but also those presented in scripture. There are single person families like Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. There are families experiencing difficulties like Joseph and his brothers, or broken families seeking new life like Naomi and Ruth† (Way, 2003). Of the various forms that the family structure can take, one consistent factor that is crucial for the facilitation of healthy development is family stability. Parental mental competence, stable-loving caregivers, positive or negative parenting are all factors that contribute to the establishment of the stability of the family unit. The home environment is arguably one of the most important facets of an individual’s childhood growth and development. When there is structure and stability children tend to thrive and are more self-aware and assertive, versus when there is little to no stability the opposite effect can be expected to occur. â€Å"When disruptions in the stability of the family environment occur, youths’ ability to develop adequate   self-control skills may be compromised, leading to both internalizing and externalizing problems (Malatras Israel, 2013). Though there are notable differences in the childrearing practices around the world there are marked similarities that exist in the context of determining a healthy family unit. It is helpful to consider socioeconomic status, parental contributions and involvement, sibling relationships, family history and cultural norms when trying to determine the overall health of a family system. Factors such as warmth, emotional availability, routine activities such as predictable bed or mealtime activities, religious observances and communication are of considerable importance when evaluating the health of a family system in the Western culture. However in other cultures such as the Caribbean there is less emphasis placed on the feelings of warmth and emotional connections and more on discipline, control and behavior management. Children in the Caribbean are expected to perform adult responsibilities at a much earlier age than their American counterparts. For example in a study conducted on child health in Jamaica â€Å"at the age of four or five, children of both sexes begin doing household chores such as sweeping, mopping, floor polishing, and caring for younger children† (Sargent Harris, 1992). Children are also expected to complete tasks such as cooking and laundry as early as the age of seven. Within the constraints of cultural norms, one can say that a healthy family system is one in which the developing child can thrive physically and emotionally and is on track to becoming a functional member of that society. In the same way that a healthy family system can assist an individual in becoming self-sufficient and aware; there are negative impacts that can occur when there are breakdowns in the foundation of the family. For example in families where psychological maltreatment takes place, the effects can be detrimental to the child who as a result may suffer from low self-esteem, lying, misbehavior, and underachievement in school. The impact of abuse on brain development is also profound and has been linked to a reduction in the size of the amygdala and hippocampus later on in adulthood. It is also noted that the fear, terror and stress associated with abuse may also produce permanent changes due to the overstimulation of the limbic system (Feldman, 2014). In conclusion, one can clearly see the vast significance that the role of  family plays in the physical, spiritual, social and cognitive development of an individual. The family unit is the training ground for life in the world at large and its impact can be either positive or negative. However there are several other factors at work in determining how an individual will handle their life regardless of the cards that they are dealt. For instance a child who grows up in a home where he has been the victim of psychological maltreatment may still have a chance at being a fully functional and contributing member of society due to his resilience and ability to traverse difficult circumstances. Likewise some children who are given all the tools for success, emotional stability and great family environment may still make bad decisions later on in life. The research is unprecedented in its support that healthy family systems, regardless of cultural norms facilitate the production of health y independent adults who are able to thrive in the society of their upbringing. References Feldman, R. S. (2014). Development across the life span (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Malatras, J. W. and Israel, A. C. (2013), The Influence of Family Stability on Self-Control and Adjustment. J. Clin. Psychol., 69: 661–670. doi: 10.1002/jclp.21935. Sargent, C., Harris, M. (1992). Gender ideology, childrearing, and child health in Jamaica. American Ethnologist, 19(3), 523-537. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/645199. Way, P. (2003). Family systems. The Clergy Journal, 80(1), 14-15. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/230514795?accountid=12085.

The Falkland Islands Conflict :: Falkland Islands War Independence Essays

No one really knows who discovered the Falkland Islands. Nearly every British historian will insist that the English explorer John Davis discovered the islands in 1592(1) while Argentineans typically credit Vespucci, Magellan, or Sebald de Weert. (2) The events of January 2, 1883 are not in dispute, however. On this date, James Onslow, captain of the HMS Clio, dropped anchor just off the Falklands. The next day he went ashore and raised the British flag. (3) This action infuriated the Argentines, who had taken control of the Falklands upon receiving independence from Spain in 1816. With his imperialistic seizure of the islands, Onslow began a sequence of events that would end nearly 150 years later in war. Shortly after the invasion, the Argentine government set out four arguments in favour of their ownership of the Falklands: 1. Argentina ruled all land in the region formerly held by Spain. 2. Spain had purchased the islands from France. 3. Britain had abandoned its claim to the Falklands in a â€Å"secret† 1771 agreement. 4. Britain had abandoned its settlement in West Falkland in 1774.(4) No matter how well formed these arguments may have been, they fell on deaf ears in Britain. Lord Palmerston, the British Foreign Secretary, simply asserted that the Falklands had been British since the initial claim of sovereignty in 1765. (5) Although Argentina remained in a state of official protest, few things changed over the next 132 years. The issue was finally brought to the forefront in 1965 when the United Nations passed Resolution 2065, which called upon Britain and Argentina to come to an agreement on the issue with reasonable speed. (6) With this resolution began what came to be called the â€Å"Seventeen Year War† between the two nations. In March 1967 Britain agreed that it might be possible to cede sovereignty of the Falklands to Argentina, as long as the islanders agreed. (7) While the Argentines may have viewed this as a major concession, Britain had really given up very little. The Falkland islanders were quite resolute in their desire to remain subjects of the Queen.

Lady of Bath vs. Desdemona

ENGL 220 – Scott Mackenzie December 8th, 2010 Breaking the Socially Acceptable Behavior of Women in Chaucer and Shakespeare To say that men in the centuries leading up to the twentieth believed a woman must be â€Å"seen but not heard,† is a fair statement. Women during the times of Chaucer and Shakespeare were second class citizens with little rights. They were considered properties of their masters (fathers and husbands), and had no use other than birthing and mothering. A woman was supposed to be meek, chaste, and have no opinion.However, the characters Desdemona in William Shakespeare’s Othello and Dame Alison from The Wife of Bath’s Prologue in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales seemingly go against common conventions of women, as they are bold characters who have strong opinions and exert dominance. Dame Alison, the Wife of Bath, is a character created by Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales. She is a merchant who has an interest in profit, an d uses sex and her many husbands to gain that profit. Alison has been married five times, and she is open to more, as sex is extremely important to her. Welcome the sixte, whan that ever he shal! / For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chast in al,/ Whan myn housbonde is fro the world anoon. † (51-53) Alison is boldly stating that she will continue to remarry because she cannot remain without sex, a statement that blatantly goes against the ideal woman, a lady who has one husband and is chaste at all times. Alison challenges this ideal when she says, â€Å"but that I axe, why that the fifthe man/ was noon housbond to the Samaritan? 1/ How manye mighte she have in mariage? / †¦ God bad us for to wexe and multiplye. (21-23, 28) In Alison’s time, the messages in the bible were considered the truth and 1 Referencing a story in the bible where Jesus told a Samaritan that though she had five mates, only one was her husband. were not to be challenged, especially by a woman. Withi n the first one hundred lines of her prologue, Dame Alison is breaking traditional womanly conventions by admitting her love of sex and questioning why the bible says she can only have one husband. Traditionally, husbands worked to make money and wives took care of the household.However, in The Canterbury Tales, we find out that Dame Alison is a business woman who â€Å"of cloth-making she hadde swich an haunt,/ she passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt. † (Prologue to Canterbury Tales, 449-50) And though she is a successful business woman in her own right, Alison also uses sex to control her men and receive material gifts from them. She states that her first husbands were so old that â€Å"they had me yeven hir gold and hir tresoor;/ me neded nat do lenger diligence/ to winne hir love, or doon hem reverence. (204-206) In this quote, Alison is saying that they gave her land, money, and love without her having to have sex with them, a quote that shows readers she is open about sle eping with men to get what she wants. She reaffirms this notion of using sex to get what she wants by stating, â€Å"a wys womman wol sette hir ever in oon/ to gete hir love, ther as she hath noon. / But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond,/ and sith they hadde me yeven all hir lond/ what sholde I taken hede hem for to plese/ but it were for my profit and myn ese? (209-214) In the lines following that quote, Alison goes on to mention that she had her husbands wrapped around her finger and that they were happy to please her. This is a direct contradiction to the social expectations of women in the time of Chaucer. Women were supposed to be at their husbands beckon and call, to ask for nothing, and to provide sex when needed by the husband. However, Alison’s husbands are at her beckon and call, she asks repeatedly for things, and she only has sex when she wants something. By using sex to her economic advantage, Alison is further breaking the socially acceptable behavior of wom en.Dame Alison challenges the bible in reference to virginity. Challenging the bible was generally taboo, especially when it came from a woman. Alison poses strong arguments and questions about virginity. Firstly, she says that Saint Paul’s talk of virginity and remaining celibate throughout life â€Å"al nis but conseil. †(82) Secondly, in lines 105-114, she is saying that virginity is a kind of perfection, and though Jesus was perfect, virginity is only meant for those who strive for absolute perfection, like Jesus was. Alison, on the other hand, says that â€Å"[she] wol bistoew the flour of al myn age,/ in the actes and in fruit of mariage. (113-114) Thirdly, Alison questions the design of the physical body. â€Å"Telle me also, to what conclusion/ were membres maad of generacioun/ and for what profit was a wight y-wrought? † (115-117) In this quote, Alison is asking why genitals were made perfect for each other if they weren’t mean to be used. Quest ioning why the bible and society have such strong opinions on virginity, a subject that is not generally discussed by women, is yet another reason why Dame Alison, the Wife of Bath from The Canterbury Tales challenges the socially acceptable behavior of women.Desdemona, the main female character in William Shakespeare’s Othello is another example of a character who is breaking female behavior norms. In the first act, Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, makes note of what a proper Venetian woman should be. He says they should be â€Å"of spirit still and quiet†¦ never bold. † (I. iii. 95-97) Contrary to Brabantio’s statement however, Desdemona is arguably bold. Her father, Brabantio, has long decided Desdemona will marry a business man. She, however, finds them boring, and thus marries Othello.Othello, though a celebrated general of the Venetian arm, is a moor2 and is therefore somewhat of a 2 A person who usually comes from northern Africa or Arabia and i s therefore black or dark skinned. societal outcast in the predominantly white Venice. Desdemona blatantly defies her father, something proper women never do, by marrying a social outcast. Any proper woman in Othello’s time would have been meek and polite both in public and in private, characteristics that are not displayed by Desdemona in either place.When confronted by her father about her marriage to Othello, Desdemona fights back, stating â€Å"I am hitherto your daughter: but here’s my husband/ and so much duty as my mother show’d/ to you, preferring you before her,/ so much I challenge that I may profess/ due to the Moor my lord. † (I. iii. 185-189) Desdemona is maintaining a strong stance on her marriage to Othello and is not cowering away because of her angry father. She publicly argues with Brabantio, an act that easily challenges the socially acceptable behavior of women as women were supposed to be submissive, never arguing with their fathers ( or any man for that matter), specially in public. Like Dame Alison, Desdemona is a temptress who uses sex to get what she wants. Trying to convince Othello to forgive Cassio, Desdemona states, â€Å"tell me Othello, I wonder in my soul/ what you would ask me that I should deny,/ or stand so mammering on? † (III. iii. 68-70) By referring to her unquestionable desire to please Othello in every possible way, Desdemona is saying that Othello cannot possibly love her as much as she loves him if he denies her wishes. In this one instance, Desdemona is subtly defying the socially acceptable behavior of women as she is using her sexuality to get what she wants.Overall, both Desdemona from Othello and Dame Alison from The Wife of Bath’s Prologue are characters who defy the socially acceptable behavior of women in their respective time periods. Desdemona acts bold by defying and arguing with her father, and uses her sexuality to manipulate. Similarly, Alison uses her sexuality f or economic gains from her five husbands, has a successful business of her own, and challenges the bible’s stance on multiple marriages and virginity. Therefore, both Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare challenge the ideals of the behavior of women in the early 14th and 17th centuries respectively.

Government Argumentative Essay Government - 1768 Words

Government Argumentative Essay †Painting, writing, orchestra, band, choir these programs are the so-called money wasting according to the government. Some governments believe that if they take these programs away their budget will be more. They said they have done tests and evidence that shows how it does effect of course there is statistics and finances that show that. However, you cannot really base something we are born with based on a test. The Arts is a compelling thing some people are born with it some are not. It would not be fair to the kids who struggle in the core subjects like math and reading the kids who do not well let me tell you, you are lucky. Those kids are confident in the math and reading the kids who are not they feel ashamed of themselves that they cannot get a certain concept. â€Å"We as humans are designed to be well-rounded; we have two halves of the brain. We are not ignoring that right side of the brain, but we are certainly underserving that side of the brain. Says Lance eagled an art teacher at Churchill whose budget was recently cut. According to psychology, you have two parts of your brain. Some people have stronger sides than other for instance, if you are more left brained you have more analytical thinking, you think logically , are good at language in addition to math and science . If you have a stronger right, you are very imaginative; you are good at understanding something immediately, plus having creativity, in addition to Art andShow MoreRelatedGovernment Incentives on Biofuel: An Argumentative Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesstudy focuses on discussing the various aspects of how the Government incentives on biofuel are raising the food prices. Introduction Biofuel is a type of energy which can be derived from biomass, animal waste and most controversially from renewable plants. 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