Defining My family

For most of my life I typically defined my family as immediate relatives or anyone who lived in the same household as me. Distant relatives were usually only discussed if someone specifically asked me about extended family; however, as I got older an my family dynamics began to change my understanding of who or what is considered family began to change.

Initially, I would have just labeled my father, mother, and two sisters as my family. However, towards the end of elementary school my oldest sister began starting her own family; more specifically, she gave birth to her first daughter, Tatyanna. During this time she was still living with my parents, my other sister, and myself in our childhood home. Both of my parents continued to help support her financially even though she had a part-time job and everyone took an active role in raising my niece.

Within a year she gave birth to her second daughter, Shaniya and three years later her son Jhamall. After the birth of my sister’s other two children not much changed regarding both financial and social support from my family. My parents continued to help my sister financially so that my nieces and nephew did not go without much and everyone in the house pitched in to help raise the kids. Shortly before I cam to college my sister and her kids moved into their own apartment. Although they no longer live with us, they visit almost everyday and still spend a lot of time with my parents.

Traditionally, I would have considered my sister’s children distant relatives, but the experience of living with them for a long period of time and serving as a support system for them for many years really changed how I begin to define a family. Their presence in the family household while they were growing up also meant that my parents, sister, and I would have a strong impact on shaping their childhood experiences and life overall and provided the opportunity for all of us to become really close. I think this type of impact in addition to monetary support and typical child rearing practices are essential to defining one’s family.