Can someone look over my defitional essay. I'm comparing traditional versus modern family and using the reality tv as my examples arguing that modern is better. Using my own definition. Would like to know if the sentences are in the essay are okay. I am not good at wording them very well. Professor is open to any which way we want to go. As long as the essay flows well.
Please let me know of any changes I should make. THANK YOU!!!
Breaking Tradition
Family values have changed dramatically since the 1950s. A ‘normal’ traditional family commonly consists of a husband, wife, and children, whom all lives in their suburban two-story house, living in harmony with one another. The mother is normally a housewife while the husband job is to protect and provide for the family. Or at least that is how television portrays them to be. Traditional families most often eat together and then spend quality time by watching television or playing games when dinner is over. But does this type of family household describe the typical family today in the modern world? The number of families that are represented by television shows such as "Leave it to Beaver" or "Lassie" are fading with every passing generation. And one might assume that this may have a negative effect when it comes to having a family. However, the more recent version of what family values represent today may have more positive qualities than one might think. Even though an old fashioned family of the 1950s may hold morals and traditional family values, a more modernized family such as the Kardashians can offer advantages due to more democracy and individual freedom within the family.
Since the 1950s, family values are evolving with the times and traditions are continuously changing. But what is tradition? Traditions are customs passed down from generation to generation, from parents to children and so forth. As stated earlier what a traditional family consist of and what normally goes on in a typical family household, does not seem so typical anymore. Traditional families have every day routines. Kids would go to school, do their homework, followed by chores such as setting the table and helping with the dishes after dinner is done. Father would go to work and come home to a nice home cooked meal not having to worry about anything else. Nowadays, this routine is rare. In the television series, “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” this family is far from being the typical traditional family of the 1950’s. Mother is a workaholic, children have their own lives aside from their family, father works as well as taking care of the children, family only eats together on special occasions when time allows it, and there is no daily routine involved whatsoever. It may sound as if the modern family has it’s negative qualities, but it definitely comes with a bunch of great qualities as well that could have a positive effect on its family values.
No one can argue that communication is an important factor in a relationship. How about in a family between parents, or children, or both? A traditional family were not known for its communication skills compared to the modernized family of today. There was less democracy in a typical traditional family. Mother and children had little say in what goes on in a family household. Certain topics such as sex and pregnancy were off limits and forbidden from the conversation, especially in public. Today it is a different story. In “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” parents and children have open communication about almost every topic one could think of, including sex. Even though the father is the biological dad of only two children out of six, they are still treated as equals. Everyone openly talks about any concerns or issues that he or she may have with each other, and there are no issues that the parents have trouble discussing. Not to mention all that technology has to offer such as the internet, email, cell phone, texting, and networking. It is now very easy for the modern family to keep in touch with each other if needed, especially if any problems arise.
Modern families of today definitely have more freedom compared to the typical traditional family of the 1950s. Children now get to participate in decision-making and sometimes make their own choices, especially when it comes to their education. Traditionally, parents would want their sons to follow the footsteps of the father maybe taking over the family business, and their daughters to become nurses or teachers. Some children did not even have the luxury to finish school. Many had to drop out of high school and work to support the family. Some married early and had children which was also typical back in that time period. Many mothers also stayed home and take care of the children and had very little freedom to go out and have a career of their own. Today, it is different. Mothers are having careers of their own and children are doing their own thing and making decisions for themselves as far as education and their future goes. For example, in the Kardashian’s reality show, the mother has her own career managing her daughter’s business. The three older sisters went on their own to open up their own boutiques and are working for themselves, managing their own businesses, something not so common in the traditional world. Normally, the men would be expected to be employed and be married by a certain age. However, in the modern world, when children graduate high school the pressure for marriage is not like it used to be. In “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” the son is 24 years, still single, and unemployed. In the traditional world, a 24 year old man doing nothing, depending on relatives for money would have looked down upon, and people would wonder if and when is he was ever going to get married. In today’s world, age 24 is a little young to be getting married and having children, especially if one has no college education or a job. In addition, it is an acceptable age for a person who is still undecided about his or her life, even for a man, which gives children more time to think about what they want to do with their lives and also a lot less pressure.
Traditional gender roles are fading away in our culture as well. Husbands or fathers were known to be the breadwinners and mothers or wives would traditionally stay at home and take care of the children. As mentioned earlier, in the Kardashians, all the women are employed, including the mother. She actually works many more hours than the father. Bruce Jenner - who is the father in the reality show - only works occasionally, but mostly gets to stay home and do what traditional mothers would do, which is taking care of the children and doing household chores. The father not only helps out with cooking and cleaning, but he also takes the kids to doctor appointments, shopping at the mall and soccer games when needed. Roles are now being shared between both parents instead of just the typical one in a traditional family which can really help a lot in this time period due to the hectic schedules that parents have.
The definition of family is definitely evolving as time goes by and it sometimes changes rapidly. Some will do their best to remain ‘traditional’ while values of others will develop and change accordingly. Even though traditional families may still exist today, it will eventually be a part of history, because as time passes, so will tradition. Tradition is a process of evolution. People will always be changing and sooner or later everyone must learn to adapt. Today’s changes will create tomorrow’s traditions, but nevertheless, traditions will still continue to be broken and will reshape and redefine what “family” values means as the cycle continues on.
It's hard to read this because of these kinds of problems:
" A ‘normal’ traditional family ..."
redundancy
"... whom all lives in their suburban ..."
and many others.
In addition, you are including so many sweeping generalizations, it's hard to take it all seriously.
However ... here are some ideas for proofreading ~
Please go over your paper with the following in mind. Thanks to PsyDAG for the following:
In the future, if nobody is available to proofread your work, you can do this yourself. After writing your material, put it aside for a day — at least several hours. (This breaks mental sets you might have that keep you from noticing problems.) Then read it aloud as if you were reading someone else's work. (Reading aloud slows down your reading, so you are less likely to skip over problems.)
(You can also either read it aloud to someone else or have someone else read it aloud to you! The latter works really well!)
If your reading goes smoothly, that is fine. However, wherever you "stumble" in your reading, other people are likely to have a problem in reading your material. Those "stumbles" indicate areas that need revising.
Once you have made your revisions, repeat the process above. Good papers often require many drafts.
I am suppose to generalize. It is a definitional essay. I am suppose to define my own defintion of modern and traditional. This is not a research paper.
But thanks for trying to help.
Breaking Tradition: A Comparison of Traditional and Modern Family Dynamics
Family values have undergone significant transformations since the 1950s. The stereotypical "traditional" family of that era typically consisted of a husband, wife, and children residing harmoniously in a suburban two-story house. The father held a job to provide for the family, while the mother took care of household responsibilities as a housewife. However, television shows like "Leave it to Beaver" and "Lassie" portray a fading representation of these traditional family dynamics. In the present day, the modern family, exemplified by reality TV shows such as the Kardashians, embraces more democratic and individualistic principles. This essay will explore the advantages of the modern family structure, highlighting the positive qualities that make it preferable over the traditional family.
To begin, it is crucial to understand the concept of tradition. Traditions are customs passed down from generation to generation, imparted by parents to their children. The traditional family structure and its routines have lost their prevalence, no longer reflecting the typical family household. Previously, traditional families had daily routines, including children attending school, doing their homework, and helping with household chores. Fathers would go to work while mothers prepared home-cooked meals. However, such routines are now rare. "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," for example, deviates from the 1950s traditional family model. In this reality TV series, the mother is a workaholic, the children lead independent lives, the father takes on both work and child-rearing responsibilities, and family members only gather for special occasions. Although these aspects may seem negative, the modern family structure also possesses numerous positive qualities that contribute to its family values.
Effective communication is a crucial aspect of any relationship, including within the family. Compared to traditional families, modern families excel in communication skills. Traditional families often lacked democratic decision-making processes, with mothers and children having little say in household matters. Certain topics such as sex and pregnancy were strictly off-limits, especially in public conversations. However, in shows like "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," parents and children engage in open discussions about various topics, including sex. Equality is emphasized, even though the father is the biological parent of only two out of six children. Overall, the family members openly communicate and address any concerns or issues they may have, fostering a healthy family dynamic. Technological advancements, such as the internet, email, cell phones, texting, and social networking, further facilitate communication and help modern families stay connected, especially in times of trouble.
In terms of freedom, modern families outrank traditional families of the 1950s. Children now have the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes and make choices, particularly regarding their education. Traditional families often enforced gendered expectations, with sons expected to follow in their father's footsteps and daughters pushed towards more nurturing professions like nursing or teaching. Some children were not even able to complete their education, forced to drop out of high school to support their families. Early marriage and childbirth were also common during that era. Today, the situation is significantly different. Mothers have their own careers, and children are encouraged to pursue their passions and make decisions about their education and future. In the Kardashian family, for instance, the mother manages her daughter's business, and the three older sisters have opened their own boutiques, independently managing their businesses. These opportunities for self-determination are not prevalent in traditional family structures. Additionally, the pressure to marry at a young age has diminished in today's society. The Kardashians, for instance, portray a 24-year-old son who is single and unemployed, a scenario that would have raised societal judgment in a traditional setting. In the modern world, there is less pressure to marry and have children at a young age, allowing children more time to explore their options and reducing unnecessary societal expectations.
Traditional gender roles are also fading away in modern culture. In the past, husbands were viewed as the breadwinners, while wives stayed at home and cared for the children. However, as depicted in the Kardashians, all the women in the family, including the mother, are employed. The mother even works longer hours than the father, who takes on a traditionally maternal role, caring for the children and carrying out household chores. This sharing of responsibilities between parents allows for a more balanced family dynamic, especially in today's fast-paced and demanding world.
The definition of family continues to evolve over time, sometimes progressing at a rapid rate. While some individuals strive to maintain traditional family structures, others embrace evolving values and adapt accordingly. Although traditional families may still exist, they will eventually become part of history, as traditions naturally evolve with time. These changes, in turn, shape and redefine what "family" means and what values it entails. According to the cyclical nature of tradition, today's changes will give birth to tomorrow's traditions, perpetually breaking and recreating societal values.
In conclusion, the modern family structure, exemplified by reality TV shows, offers numerous advantages when compared to traditional family models. The enhanced communication skills, increased individual freedom, and shared responsibilities among parents in modern families contribute to the development and preservation of positive family values. As society progresses, traditional family structures will inevitably become part of the past, making way for new expressions of familial bonds and values.