Family Traditions

 This week, during a class lecture, we talked about culture and its influence on family life and decisions. Although most of us immediately tie culture to a larger society, our professor discussed how each family perpetuates its own culture. Culture is a set of patterns and traditions carried on from one generation to another. Through family culture, we learn family norms, and family rules and roles are created and passed down. In line with a family culture, families often have traditions (inherited patterns of belief or behavior) that influence family members to act and think in specific manners. In reflecting on this idea of traditions further, I wanted to discuss traditions that bring out the best in family members versus those that don't. 

While thinking about this topic further, I couldn't help but reflect on my own family's traditions. Out of all of them, one of my favorite traditions (which I also find to be positively influencing) is our family dinners. It is rare, even now, to see my family not sit down and eat dinner altogether throughout the week. Family dinners gave us time to discuss important family matters and stay up-to-date on everyone's days. In addition, we also fostered a sense of community and teamwork as we all helped prepare food, set the table, and clean up dishes. Looking back now, I can see how this tradition helped me foster better communication skills with others, even those outside of my family. Family dinners also led me to feel more united with my family, who I am still close with today. But don't just take my word for it. In a systematic review of studies published by the National Institute of Health on family dinners, researchers found that this time spent together has numerous positive effects on children. For example, studies have shown that children who regularly eat dinner with their families are less likely to participate in disorderly eating habits and risky behaviors, such as substance usage. 

Moving on to the other side of things, one tradition I have seen in families that has the potential to bring out negative side effects is the expectation that children will follow in their family's career footsteps. As a quick disclaimer, I understand that some people genuinely develop an interest in a life path after observing their loved ones. In my own family, many members have followed the path of engineering because of this very thing. However, this is not always the case. Although I have not experienced this tradition in my family, I know many individuals who have settled on a degree and career trajection simply because that's the expectation and pattern laid out for them. However, because they lack any interest or passion further than keeping family norms, burnout is a common concern. When expectations are exceedingly high, and it seems like an alternative option is unavailable, it is easy to feel trapped between wanting to stay true to one's self and not wanting to let one's family down.

In summary, family traditions have the power to both positively influence and affect individual family members and to frustrate and strain relationships and individual people. By recognizing these two polarizing effects, we can reflect on our own family traditions, recognizing patterns and beliefs that we would like to carry on versus those that we would like to leave in the past. This observation and recognition of the good versus the less than ideal is the start of a change in our lives and in our family's future. One great thing about traditions is that everyone has them, whether they realize it or not. So, even if we struggle to find positive traditions and examples in our own families, we can look towards friends, role models, and mentors for guidance and support. 

Link to the research review of studies on family dinners:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325878/