These are just two articles on women's choices to have children. One is about women making the choice to forego children altogether and the other is a 15 minute video on the choice to stay home with your children. Both are fascinating!
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2148636,00.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-57598036-10391709/a-mothers-dilemma-stay-at-home-or-not/
Monday, October 14, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Demographic Winter
We watched an interesting video in my class a few weeks ago and, as I've been thinking about it more, I wanted to share the link to the 2-hour(two episodes) production. I found it fascinating to say the least. I admittedly finished the program thinking "I need to go out and have ten kids or else mankind will die out". I don't know if that was the video's intention but I'm probably not going to suddenly fly off my seat to make as many babies as possible. At least, not quite yet. ;)
http://www.byutv.org/watch/59b6b917-984a-478f-93b1-521a647779c4/new-economic-reality-demographic-winter-part-1
As I thought more about the program, I thought it might be interesting to find some thoughts from others on the video. I came across one that I found interesting written by Kathryn Joyce. She wasn't convinced that we're all going to die out unless we have children and found a few points in the program that she dug deeper in. If you're interested to see what she has to say, I am including the link to her article. It's a little long but it has to address two hours' worth of video.
http://kathrynjoyce.com/articles/review-demographic-winter-the-decline-of-the-human-family/
What do you think about what the video has said? Do you agree with them about the declining population? What did you think about Joyce's article?
http://www.byutv.org/watch/59b6b917-984a-478f-93b1-521a647779c4/new-economic-reality-demographic-winter-part-1
As I thought more about the program, I thought it might be interesting to find some thoughts from others on the video. I came across one that I found interesting written by Kathryn Joyce. She wasn't convinced that we're all going to die out unless we have children and found a few points in the program that she dug deeper in. If you're interested to see what she has to say, I am including the link to her article. It's a little long but it has to address two hours' worth of video.
http://kathrynjoyce.com/articles/review-demographic-winter-the-decline-of-the-human-family/
What do you think about what the video has said? Do you agree with them about the declining population? What did you think about Joyce's article?
Week 3
This week we talked about class and culture and what they have to do with family. As a class we defined culture as groups that have different cultures; experiences and understanding; dictates lifestyle. The dictionary.com definition is "the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group". We then went ahead and defined class as levels of society; measured by money, recreation, lifestyle, education, birth, appearance, work, and where an individual lives. The technical definition is "persons or things regarded as forming a group by reason of common attributes, characteristics, qualities, or traits".
Based on what we defined, we began to talk about how these two terms are interconnected. If one is influenced, the other is changed as well. They play off of each other and affect each other. For example, say you are part of a middle class family where you father is the manager of a grocery store. You have your needs provided for and are able to participate in activities that require money like the movies, bowling, or sports. You have grown up being taught that you can get things with hard work. One day your mother buys a lottery ticket and wins. Your family is suddenly rich so you move to a better home, buy nicer clothes, and plan to attend a prestigious school. Your class level has changed because of money and potential for lifestyle and recreation. Your culture begins to change as well as you interact with people within your new class.
While this is a very obvious example of class and culture changes, you can have smaller causalities(cause and effect) that make subtle changes. Family structure is something that directly influences the culture of a family and is often linked to class. If you are a single parent, especially a mother, you are more likely to be "lower" class because you don't make quite as much, work jobs that require lower education, and live in cheaper neighborhoods. You aren't bad for being a single mother but you are categorized into a class by influence of your family structure. The culture in the family is also different since the mother fills the role of both mother and father. Family relationships are slightly different than if a father or father-figure were in the picture.
All of this may seem like it's only a matter of chance that can change a family but never underestimate your power to change a family culture. You can take note of patterns in your family and work to change them. You can even enlist other family members to make the change with you to make it easier. You can expand your individual culture through experiences and understanding to influence the life you will live.
Based on what we defined, we began to talk about how these two terms are interconnected. If one is influenced, the other is changed as well. They play off of each other and affect each other. For example, say you are part of a middle class family where you father is the manager of a grocery store. You have your needs provided for and are able to participate in activities that require money like the movies, bowling, or sports. You have grown up being taught that you can get things with hard work. One day your mother buys a lottery ticket and wins. Your family is suddenly rich so you move to a better home, buy nicer clothes, and plan to attend a prestigious school. Your class level has changed because of money and potential for lifestyle and recreation. Your culture begins to change as well as you interact with people within your new class.
While this is a very obvious example of class and culture changes, you can have smaller causalities(cause and effect) that make subtle changes. Family structure is something that directly influences the culture of a family and is often linked to class. If you are a single parent, especially a mother, you are more likely to be "lower" class because you don't make quite as much, work jobs that require lower education, and live in cheaper neighborhoods. You aren't bad for being a single mother but you are categorized into a class by influence of your family structure. The culture in the family is also different since the mother fills the role of both mother and father. Family relationships are slightly different than if a father or father-figure were in the picture.
All of this may seem like it's only a matter of chance that can change a family but never underestimate your power to change a family culture. You can take note of patterns in your family and work to change them. You can even enlist other family members to make the change with you to make it easier. You can expand your individual culture through experiences and understanding to influence the life you will live.
If you want to make a change, make it. You can do it!
Praise and Overcome
Whenever I'm out driving I like to listen to a Christian music station called KLove. I was drawn to the music when I was investigating the Catholic Church a few years ago and I was looking for God in an everyday setting. I've always been drawn and influenced by music and the music that this station plays is always uplifting. It is often focused on Jesus Christ but it sends good messages through it's music and through the station anchors that can uplift all people who believe in a higher power.
I was listening this morning and heard this song and thought I would share it because it spoke so strongly to me. I interpret it as a song that recognizes God's hand in our lives. He is a director of our paths and He is what matters most to us. Give it a listen and see how it hits you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ0WTpLDmd4
"I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised" 2 Samuel 22:4
Another song that I've heard lately is "Overcomer" by Mandisa. The title says it all as it's a song about how everyone experiences hardships but God is there to help. He believes in you! He strengthens you and lifts you higher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z29olPjFbqg
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations." Revelation 2:26
I was listening this morning and heard this song and thought I would share it because it spoke so strongly to me. I interpret it as a song that recognizes God's hand in our lives. He is a director of our paths and He is what matters most to us. Give it a listen and see how it hits you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ0WTpLDmd4
"I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised" 2 Samuel 22:4
Another song that I've heard lately is "Overcomer" by Mandisa. The title says it all as it's a song about how everyone experiences hardships but God is there to help. He believes in you! He strengthens you and lifts you higher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z29olPjFbqg
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations." Revelation 2:26
Monday, October 7, 2013
Post-Conference Response from Ordain Women
A little while ago I posted an article from Deseret News about some Mormon women who had requested tickets to the Priesthood Session of General Conference. Well, they were respectfully declined through a letter but were committed to showing up anyway. They planned to go to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City to ask for tickets to get in. They were declined once again and I thought I would post their blog response here.
I disagree with the need for women to have the priesthood so I would never have done what these women did. However, it is a little sad to read how heartbroken they were. I hope that these women listened to the talks in all of the sessions of Conference (there are four, two hour sessions) and received the messages from upper level leaders of the Church who praised them for their current roles. They were very liberal in their appreciation for the role that women play already and hopeful that women would continue to be as righteous and faithful as ever in their role.
Anyway, here's the link. Read it. Explore the website a little as it was interesting to read.
http://ordainwomen.org/ow_blog/
How do you feel about what Kate Kelly has written?
I disagree with the need for women to have the priesthood so I would never have done what these women did. However, it is a little sad to read how heartbroken they were. I hope that these women listened to the talks in all of the sessions of Conference (there are four, two hour sessions) and received the messages from upper level leaders of the Church who praised them for their current roles. They were very liberal in their appreciation for the role that women play already and hopeful that women would continue to be as righteous and faithful as ever in their role.
Anyway, here's the link. Read it. Explore the website a little as it was interesting to read.
http://ordainwomen.org/ow_blog/
How do you feel about what Kate Kelly has written?
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Week 2
This week we spent a day going over different theories of examining families. I found them interesting because each is a unique yet logical way of looking at the family. The Systems Theory focuses on how each member of the family is an important part of the whole. If something happens to one, all others are affected in some way. We all have roles that we are given that help us fit into our family.
Another theory is the Exchange Theory which allows for cost versus benefit in understanding relationships. The idea behind it is that if you don't get at least as much back as you give, you won't stick around. In a relationship, a person weighs the pros and cons of actions they could participate in and then make the best choices.
The Symbolic Interaction Theory explains a view of families that allows for symbols in everything. Every action is sending a message; all things have meaning whether we respond or not. The symbols that we interpret are subjective because every action can mean something different from one person to the next. The family of origin plays a big part in influencing understanding of symbols.
Conflict Theory is an understanding that in families there are limited resources that have to be distributed appropriately. This theory is often used to explain the differences between genders and classes. All families have to find a system that allows for compromise.
All of these theories work to explain how multifaceted a family is. There is no one theory that can completely explain the dynamics of a family because each takes a different look at how the family manages itself. I think it's fascinating that we can explain one thing in so many diverse ways.
Which theory do you think you would use to look at your family?
Another theory is the Exchange Theory which allows for cost versus benefit in understanding relationships. The idea behind it is that if you don't get at least as much back as you give, you won't stick around. In a relationship, a person weighs the pros and cons of actions they could participate in and then make the best choices.
The Symbolic Interaction Theory explains a view of families that allows for symbols in everything. Every action is sending a message; all things have meaning whether we respond or not. The symbols that we interpret are subjective because every action can mean something different from one person to the next. The family of origin plays a big part in influencing understanding of symbols.
Conflict Theory is an understanding that in families there are limited resources that have to be distributed appropriately. This theory is often used to explain the differences between genders and classes. All families have to find a system that allows for compromise.
All of these theories work to explain how multifaceted a family is. There is no one theory that can completely explain the dynamics of a family because each takes a different look at how the family manages itself. I think it's fascinating that we can explain one thing in so many diverse ways.
Which theory do you think you would use to look at your family?
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Define Family
I am including this picture because in two of my classes last week we talked about the changing definitions of family. Family is not longer strictly blood relation, it has expanded to mean anyone who fills your life with love and attachment. We don't know if this is a good or a bad thing because every case is situational but studies will continue to test the newer definition of family.
It's an interesting photo nonetheless.
What do you consider to be "family"??
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