what is a typical family??

Question

this will sound like sour grapes but it s not , having just been rejected by the bbc for a regular feature on a early morning breakfast pragramme on reducing a familys carbon emisions (start mon 15th) for not being a typical family enough, husband, wife, daughter from previous wife every other weekend and holidays, 2 cats, 4 fish and 2 lizards, i was curious what is a typical family in a modern society

Answer 1

Matt, I am sorry for that. I thought as far as ordinary main stream families go yours would fit nicely, except you have no dogs.
But apparently in its grand wisdom the BBC now is using another definition:
A mixed up, mucked up collection of individuals, who by adoption, birth or some other act of or in spite of nature (such as marriage, either between man and woman, or woman-woman, man-man, all seems out of the natural order these days), or if not marriage, some other means.
The family must live lives as disorderly and inharmoniously as Unhappy baboons returning from an unprofitable day holding a boot sale.
The sociological definition has apparently gone by the wayside.
"That Cheeky Lad"
P.S. Edit: Morpheus had a rather unique, yet accurate picture of many households.

Answer 2

From what I have see on TV a 'typical' family will still be a mother, father, 2.4 children and a dog. This is not Representative of society as a whole, just an 'ideal' that the TV executives would like us to believe is 'normal'. I think it's an out of date perception of family life.

From my sociology studies, I have come to realise that the only school of thought that still supports this image of the 'typical' family is the functionalist new right theorem. There are many other theories however, that dispute this.

Families are so much more diverse than that these days, step families, single parent families, same sex families. See it as the BBC's loss, if they can't see that Britain has changed then it's about time they had a look at the country they represent.

Answer 3

They are not typical. I think the Palin family has many good qualities that keep them happy, although I have not yet seen them. I think maybe the children need more guidance, but I hate that Republicans are telling the world that theirs is a typical American family.

Answer 4

I know what you mean..a typical family is someone that is getting a divorce..because the husband is a guitar player does drugs and alcohol..and wife works full time to make ends meet..
and the musician loves to not pay child support..so she had him locked up for the holidays and he was complaining because she had him locked up on Christmas Eve....during that time she met a anatheisologist and wanted to make her a mansion of a home and a life..but she didnt want to go with Dr. because the musician wouldnt let go of their little boy...the muiscian told them he couldnt pay child support..So, the Dr. made him a deal, that he would pay his jail fee to let him out..but..that his soon to be ex wife and himself could adopt the baby and that the musicain would be free and clear of paying any money ever again..and give up all legal rights to his son..He said ok...So the soon to be ex wife ,,the musician tells the story she walks in with a full lenght fur coat and 1 carat diamond earrings in each ear and asks for legal aide...and gets it..typical family..yes or no..

Answer 5

Husband, Wife, 2 children (M and F). 1 dog, 1 cat. Probably living in 2 nd. home. Both working. Children at Private school.

NOT typical perhaps....... BUT....... this is what the BBC wanted.
I know................... we are on it.

Watch it on Monday. We have been given a profile of other families - all different - so it is difficult to know exactly what they are looking for.

Answer 6

A huge social experiment has been tried on us over the last 40 years, without most of us even being aware of it, nor the implications it has for our future generations.

A stable family of mother+father+children is the basis for a stable society.
When the family unit is broken down, we will have a society based upon selfishness, hatred, mistrust, dishonesty and eventually anarchy and war.

Answer 7

No such thing..I'm afraid if the family unit is a happy,contented environment and there is plenty of communication from everyone included discussing problems,worries etc then any up and downs will come and go naturally.

Answer 8

a typical family is about 3 kids an alcoholic dad and a druggie for a mum

Answer 9

From my experience and of people I know, there is no such thing anymore.

Children live with people that aren't their parents, spend time with their 'real' Mum or Dad at weekends or week-on-week-off. Men live with women, their child and children from previous marriages / relationships and vice verse. Same sex, different sex cohabiting, single, no children. Adopted, test-tube babies, birth-parents.

Everything's possible and, remarkably, it mostly works just fine!

Aren't people wonderful!

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Answer 10

2 parents, 2-3 kids