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Ward and June Cleaver (to say nothing of the Beaver) may well be a thing of the past. Today's family bears little resemblance, at least at a quick glance, to that of years past. Coupled with new ways of relating, the family as we now know it is poised for the challenges and realities of the 21st century.
When you think of your family, you most likely think of your blood relatives first. For generations, "family" referred to the nuclear family: Mom, Dad, a couple of kids and Fido the dog. The extended family consisted of assorted aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. With the prevalence of divorce in today's society, newer units are becoming part of the family as we know it, specifically step- and half-siblings. Greater acceptance of gays and lesbians is also bringing this element into the family unit. Even so, is the widening scope of the family really something new?
Looking at the family from a historical perspective, the extended family, or clan, is one of the earliest family units and is still the rule in many cultures. The Chinese, for example, value a multigenerational and extended family which places greatest emphasis on its older members. These elders are held in high regard for their wisdom and compassion. In the West, however, it's the newer generations that are encouraged to assert themselves, gain a broader education, and lead the family forward. The clan's traditional power structure appears unlikely to hold into the future.
Divorce is only one of the factors causing the family unit to take new forms. The fact that many couples are unable to have children of their own is creating a greater demand for adoption, and adopted babies often come from other countries and cultures. Foster families are becoming more common as well as serving as a bridge for families experiencing difficulties. Gay couples are finding it easier to raise children in modern society.
Not all of today's families, however, remain small. The commune, popularized in the '60s and '70s, is being revived. A mix of blood and non-blood relatives along with friends, these groups are banding together anew to help raise one another's children and deal with the harsh economic realities of the times. In many cases, communes are also a place for alternative ways of teaching and healing. Gangs represent another form of family; its members usually unrelated by blood, they are groups which form to support and defend one another. In the case of gangs, rituals are a strong part of the connectedness as are tests of loyalty.
Clans and other groups are Scorpionic by nature, as it's Scorpio that
rules clans, gangs and the extended family. The Signs of the Zodiac have much to say on the family in its many forms!
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