Rachel asked me this yesterday, out of the blue, in no particular context. You know how it is
"did you have a nice day at school Rachel?"
"yes....what is a family mummy?"
"it's the people who are related to each other and love each other"
"Is it only the people we are related to? Or is it people we love as well"
And just like that I was stumped.
Of course a traditional family is those related to each other. But Rachel knows lots of children who are in their family through adoption and that is very much love focussed. And yes they are definitely families. And how about Mike and I? We weren't related, we're in love and bonded through that love which makes a relationship.
So when does the loving of someone bring them into your family?
Might this mean that the term family is all encompassing of everyone we love?
We talk about "church family" and I value that family more than I can say.
And "extended family"; well surely that's just family?
Don't you just love it when your kids ask questions that blow your minds. This one seemed easy, then ..... Boom!
How would you deal with it?
1 comment:
Good question from Rachel.. To me a family are all those you love and hold dear to yourself, they do not have to be blood relatives. I know many people who don't even include blood relatives as family. Sad as it seems but i think with society the way it is today we have more "blended families" and not "traditional" families.
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