Family is a group of people or animals (many species form the equivalent of a human family wherein the adults care for the young) affiliated by consanguinity, affinity or co-residence. Although the concept of consanguinity originally referred to relations by "blood.” It has been argued that one must understand the idea of "blood" metaphorically and that many societies understand family through other concepts rather than through genetic distance. One of the primary functions of the family is to produce and reproduce persons—biologically and socially. Thus, one's experience of one's family shifts over time.
The different types of families occur in a wide variety of settings, and their specific functions and meanings depend largely on their relationship to other social institutions. The term "nuclear family" is commonly used, especially in the United States and Europe, to refer to conjugal families. Sociologists distinguish between conjugal families (relatively independent of the kindred of the parents and of other families in general) and nuclear families (which maintain relatively close ties with their kindred). The term "extended family" is also common, especially in the United States and Europe. This term has two distinct meanings. First, it serves as a synonym of "consanguinal family". Second, in societies dominated by the conjugal family, it refers to kindred (an egocentric network of relatives that extends beyond the domestic group) who do not belong to the conjugal family.
The way that people are brought up tends to have an effect on who they would consider part of their family. I know that my mother had an open door policy when I was younger, kind of like the neighborhood mom. Because of this I feel that I am more open to accepting people into my “family.” I realize that by technical definition I only have a mother, a father and two sisters by birth. Add on my “adopted” family and it grows by three more sisters and two brothers. This is my heart family.
While photographing for this project I am showing the different types of family that you can have. By this I mean that although the people that live together might not be blood related, there is something tying them together.
“There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.”
-Winston Churchill
Joys of A Large Family, by Rebbetzin Faige Twerski. angelfire.com
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