In today's society, there is an incredibly complex combination of cultural/ethnic influences for our families. Traditionally, we used to think about multiculturalism as it affects a blended family unit from different cultural or ethnic backgrounds. While this is still an important part of multicultural awareness, it is important to consider the multicultural influences our children face each day in school, sports, and religious expression. We should also realize that we, as adults, face multicultural influences in the safe environments. As you consider multicultural awareness from this more global perspective, explore how well you truly understand your own ideas of culture and be able to discuss differences in perspective with others in an open and non-judgmental manner. While I do encourage self-expression in my courses, your right to self-expression does not mean that you may infringe upon another's right to think differently. Feel free to respectfully debate your perspective, however there are times that we as educated professionals must realize that the respectful decision to "Agree to Disagree" is always acceptable.
Additionally, as we start exploring various ways of assessing and helping families in need, it is important to look at the family from various directions. This week, we will explore Structural Theory. How does the structure of the family impact the interaction of each member of the family unit? When families survive changes in family structure, what steps can ease this transition?