Page 174 - (DK) Help Your Kids with Growing Up: A No-Nonsense Guide to Puberty and Adolescence

172 F AMILIES

Different families SEE ALSO 174–175 ›

Parent-teen relationships
Dealing with conflict 178–179 ›
Families come in all shapes and sizes. Every family is unique, Difficult events 180–181 ›
no matter what structure it is categorized under. Whether there Siblings 182–183 ›
are one or two parents, multiple kids or one kid, everyone in
the family unit has an important role.

One of a kind TEEN HINTS

In modern society, there is a large range of family Family structures
structures, some of which are shown here. Each Sometimes a family structure can change – due to a death,
family has its own special set up, which includes separation, divorce, or new marriage, for example. Finding your way
how individuals in the family show love and care in a new family structure can be hard, especially when what was your
for each other, what their values are, and how “normal” has been unexpectedly altered. But change often brings the
they set boundaries for the family to operate opportunity to form relationships with new people. These people will
within. All these elements help a family to never replace the people in your old family structure, but will help
build a strong foundation together. you to form, and be a part of developing, a new family structure.

▷ Foster families
Sometimes, due to issues in their own family,
children may need to leave their biological
▷ Small families parents to join a foster family temporarily.
Sometimes called a “micro- Foster parents are specially trained carers.
family”, this family includes
two adults and one child.

△ ▷ LGBTQ parent families
△ Step-parent families Families with lesbian and gay
When one of a child’s parents finds a new parents are also called “same-sex
partner, that partner becomes the child’s families”. This is a large and
step-parent and their children become step- varied group.
siblings. The adult assumes the role of a parent,
but is not biologically related to the child.

▷ Extended families
When extended family, such as grandparents,
aunts, and uncles, live under one roof,
childcare may be shared and close family
bonds develop.

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