Family Studies, Essay Example

At my age of 40 years, I am a husband to two wives in my family, the first one being a mother of a son called Timothy aged 18 years and a daughter called Agnes aged 13 years while the second wife is a mother of an adopted girl called Kimberly of 19 years.  Timothy experienced a difficult time as a result of a fragile X syndrome that is traceable way back from my grandfather.  Our initial life with Timothy’s mother was characterized by low level of income and early intervention of the syndrome was impossible leading to the advancement of the symptoms of the syndrome. I had graduated from Daystar University with a masters degree that later landed me in a well paying job after which I decided to marry Kimberly’s mother who was also from an influential family. Due to the fact that she could not bear children, we decided to adopt Kimberly who has contributed positively to the wellbeing of Timothy in taking care of his development since the boy surfers a moderate degree of mental retardation. My entire family lives in a great cohesion with every member of the family willing to make positive contribution towards the general well being of all members. I provide for the financial support needed by the entire family.

The entire family members have been keenly involved in socialization with respect to gender through proper acquaintance with the gender roles that are culturally defined. Every member has taken active role in learning the behaviors as well as the attitudes that are appropriate for the sex they belong (Rebecca, et al., 115-67). Timothy has adopted the behaviors required of a boy while Agnes and Kimberly have adopted girl-like behaviors. The entire family has taken active role in reinforcing the gender roles. Majority of the work in the kitchen is completed with the help of Agnes and a house-help who we have hired while Kimberly is involved in offering learning guidance to Timothy. Having owned a spacious plot of land that accommodates two units of three bed roomed house, the family is able to coordinate all the necessary activities in one compound. The mothers of the three children take active involvement in a family grocery that is located in the same compound.

Having two wives, it means that we have three pairs of parents who took active role in the upbringing of my two wives as well as me. All of them were committed to our well being and it is currently our responsibility to take care of them as they are already in their old age. The great concern that they accorded us is reflected in our children and this is the cause of our harmonious existence and every member of our family is satisfied and happy. None of our parents has ever lived as a single parent and they are all alive today and the same case has been applicable to our children. Although Kimberly is an exceptional case of an adopted girl in our family, she has continuously been treated with equal affection as the rest of our children and this situation is hardly noticeable.

My father’s life was characterized by family conflicts that led to divorce followed by remarriage and this implies that I had to own a stepmother and step-siblings. The family was relatively large in size because my mother who was the first wife had four boys including me and three girls while my step mother had three girls and two boys who were twins. One of my brothers, the second born traveled to Germany for educational scholarship where he latter decided to settle down after entering in to a gay relationship with a German. This has brought about a great misunderstanding in the family because of a Christian religious background that is a characteristic of my family (Rebecca, et al., 115-67).

Work Cited

Rebecca, Coulter, et al.  Gender socialization: new ways.  London: New World Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Women’s Equality, 1993.