Defining family

In Canada the definition of family is as diverse as the ethnic, racial and religious make up of the country. Webster's dictionary (1994) defines family as: 1. a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children, a: two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place. 2: all the members of a household under one roof. 3: a …

…implications for the well-being of individuals (Ghalam, 1996). Current ideas about family often differ from what occurs in reality. Family variables help us understand the differences amongst families and the trends over time. However, observing official statistics does little to explain why families change over time, what these changes mean to individual families. It is only through observing the reasons for these trends and their implications will a more complete and comprehensive definition of family evolve.