Personal Development

Quarter 2 – Module 7:
Family Structures and Legacies
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
understand and identify Family Structures and Legacies. The scope of this module
allows you to understand how your family affects you as a developing individual. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are
arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you
read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module discusses one lesson, namely:

• Lesson 1 – Family Structures

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify the different types of family structures;
Appraise your family structure and the type of care you give and receive, which
may help in understanding yourself better. EsP-PD11/12FSL-IId- 11.1
 Lesson
Family Structures and
1 Legacies
One Filipino family trait that is known across different races is establishing
and having strong family ties.

Family, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the basic unit of society.

It is composed of individuals living together in one household either connected by
marriage, blood, or by legal arrangement. One of the family structures and the most
common kind of structure dominated the Philippines is the “extended family” on
which, we are fond of being in the same roof together with our mother, father, aunts,
uncles, grandfather, grandmother, and cousins. In a typical Filipino family, though
an adult female member gets married, the groom will bring her to their house to live
in. However, as time goes by, this culture changes and varies, family by family across
generations.

In this module, we will study the different family structures, how they differ
from one another, family legacies, and how family affects you as a developing
individual.

How does your family contribute in your middle and late adolescents?

What’s In

Activity 1.1 Being a Leader

In the previous module, you have learned that your community contributes a
lot in the development of your social relationships. One of the key factors that
develops your social skills is your involvement in the community. Another is how to
be a servant leader. What does being a servant leader mean to you? What do you
think are the traits that a servant leader must possess?

You may answer the activity by writing the characteristics of a servant leader
on the lines provided below. Traits can be based from your own experience as a leader
at home, in class or in your community, you can also ask other people such as your
elder brother or sister about the traits of a servant leader.
One trait is given as a sample to this activity.
 Responsible

Now that you know the traits of a servant leader, let us try to look at a human
figure inside a house. The house is a place where your family lives together. At home,
who do you think is the leader? Who leads your household?
 What’s New

Activity 1.2 Model

In this activity, you will show your creativity by making a model of a house.
You can use materials that can be found in your surroundings such as sticks, leaves,
candy wrappers, etc.
After making a house, relate the parts of it to your family members and write
down why or in what way does each person represent the part you have chosen for
him/her. Below your model, write your explanation.
Each of us have different family structure, different family orientation, and
culture. As we grow older, we adapt things and behaviors from our parents and some
of us follow certain family beliefs. When we are younger, our parents guide and mold
us into a better individual by instilling values on us. These values somehow changes
from time to time.
There are songs that describe family and the roles of each member of the
family. Identify songs that show such. At the back of the bond paper, make a table
as shown below. Write the title of the song, get some stanzas of the song that describe
a family. Then complete the table by writing your own interpretation of the song. How
does the song describe family?

Title of the song

Lyrics of the song

Interpretation

All families have sets of beliefs, values, and attitudes that are passed down
from generation to generation. These become part of the growing child’s worldview.
Although most obvious during the holidays, the transmission of family
legacies occurs all year long through the small events and interactions of daily living.
Many of these legacies, therefore, can be passed along without a lot of reflection on
the part of the parent.
 What is It

Family defined
Family comes from the Latin word familia which means group of people
living in the household. Family could be related by blood, by birth, or by other
relationship.
Family is the basic unit of society. It is the smallest organization in the
community. It is said to be a group of individual living together in one household.
Family comes in different forms. It could vary from one family to another. It is
usually composed of mother, father and children; some other includes grandparents,
aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives.

Types of Family Structures

Family structures differ from one family to another, that is why we should not
compare our family with that of others. The following table lists the different family
structures.

Table 1. Family Structures

Family Definition Example

Structure
Nuclear Family It is also known as “conjugal” or Mother, father, and
“traditional” family, consisting of children
married couples and their offspring.
Extended This type of family includes all A family living together
Family relatives in proximity, such as with mother, father,
grandparents, aunts, uncles, and children, grandparents,
cousins. These relatives typically aunts, uncles, and
live together, and all share daily other relatives in one
household duties. roof
Single Parent This family type includes one parent Father with his
Family and their children only. A single children or a mother
parent family could be the result of with her children living
a divorce, the death of one parent, in one household
or even a single parent adoption.

Step Family A family where the parents have Mother, children,

divorced and remarried, bringing stepfather, and his kids
children from other unions together Father, children,
to form a new nuclear family. stepmother, and her
kids
It is also known as “blended” family
because two families were
combined.
Foster Family A family includes parent who serves Parents, children,
as a temporary guardian for one or foster child
more children to whom they may or
may not be biologically related.
Adopted/Adopt A family wherein parents may adopt Parents (mother and
ive Family a child to whom they share no blood father), adopted child
relationship, or one parent may
adopt the child of the other parent.
Bi-racial or A family wherein parents are from Filipina mother,
Multi-racial different races American father,
Family children
Trans-racial A family wherein parents adopted a American parents,
Adoptive child with a different race adopted Filipino
Family children
Conditionally A family wherein one of the family A family living together
Separated members is conditionally separated except for the father
Family from the others. This separation working abroad or a
may be due to their job or family living together
employment or could be due to except for the eldest
hospitalization. child serving in the
military

Childless Married couple without children Mother and father only

Family
Gay or Lesbian A family wherein one or both A lesbian mother and
Family parents have a different sexual her children with a gay
orientation and part of the LGBT father
community
Migrant Family It is a family who settles together in A family who migrated
a different place; it could be from from a place because
one place to another due to some the father is a military
circumstances such as the father’s officer
job.
Immigrant A family wherein one or both Santos family whose
Family parents are already an immigrant of mom is already an
other country. Their children may immigrant of Canada --
be or may not be an immigrant. their mother is already
a Canadian citizen but
the rest of the family
members are not.
Family
The most important people in the lives of young children are their
parents. From birth, children depend on their mothers and fathers. There are also
people that act parent roles in caring and protecting children’s overall well-being.
They are known as “guardians”.
While parents are filled with expectation about their children’s personalities,
many also lack knowledge on how to provide the best for them. Becoming
a parent is usually a welcomed event, but in some cases, parents are worried with
problems regarding their ability to ensure their child’s physical, emotional,
or economic well-being.
Parents utilize resources which they think guarantee positive experiences
for their children.
Each of us have legacies passed from our ancestors, from generation to
generation such as culture, traditions, and customs. No matter who we are, where
we live, we have one thing in common—heritage.
This heritage is transferred to us by our parents whether good or bad.
This heritage is also called legacy, which could be passed to us socially, emotionally
or spiritually.
Transferring positive legacy to children is a delicate and important task of
adults in the family. It helps dictate the future progress and development of a child.
It is important to remember that passing on a spiritual, emotional, and social
legacy is a process, not an event. If parents do not intentionally pass a legacy
consistent to their beliefs, culture will pass along its own, often leading to a negative
end. Parents are responsible on the process; God is responsible for the product.
The Emotional Legacy
In order to prosper, children need an enduring sense of security and stability
nurtured in an environment of safety and love.
Unfortunately, many people struggle to overcome a negative emotional legacy
that hinder their ability to cope with the inevitable struggles of life. This is where a
family’s important role takes its place. A family can create an atmosphere that
provides a child’s fragile spirit with the nourishment and support needed for healthy
emotional growth. It will require time and consistency to develop a sense of emotional
wholeness, but the rewards are great.
A strong emotional legacy:
• provides a safe environment in which deep emotional roots can grow
• fosters confidence through stability
• conveys a tone of trusting support
• nurtures a strong sense of positive identity
• creates a “resting place” for the soul
• demonstrates unconditional love

Which characteristics or emotional legacy did your parents pass on to you? Which
characteristics would you like to build into the legacy that you may pass to your
future children?
The Social Legacy
To really succeed in life, children need to learn more than management
strategies, accounting, reading, writing, and geometry. They need to learn the art of
relating to people--the art of socialization. If they learn how to relate well to others,
they will have advantage in living life.
Children need to gain the insights and social skills necessary to cultivate
healthy and stable relationships. As children mature, they must learn to relate to
family members, teachers, peers, friends, and community. Eventually, they must
learn to relate to coworkers and many other types of people in their surroundings.
Nowhere can appropriate social interaction and relationships be demonstrated
more effectively than in the home. At home, children can learn lessons about respect,
courtesy, love, and involvement. Parents play a key role in modelling and passing
social legacy.
Key building blocks of children’s social legacy include:
• respect, beginning with themselves and working out to other people
• responsibility, fostered by respect for themselves, that is cultivated by
assigning children duties within the family, making them accountable for their
actions, and giving them room to make wrong choices once in a while
• unconditional love and acceptance by their parents, combined with
conditional acceptance when the parents discipline for bad behavior or actions
• the setting of social boundaries concerning how to relate to God, authority,
peers, the environment and siblings
• rules that are given within a loving relationship

The Spiritual Legacy

The Spiritual Legacy is the least in priority, but that is a mistake. As spiritual
beings, we adopt attitudes and beliefs about spiritual matters from one person or
another. Parents need to take the initiative and present faith to their children.
Parents who successfully pass along a spiritual legacy to their children model
and reinforce the unseen realities of the godly life. We must recognize that passing a
spiritual legacy means more than encouraging our children to attend church, as
important as that is. The church is there to support parents in raising their children
but it cannot do the raising; only parents can. Parents are primary in spiritual
upbringing. Children, perceive God the way they perceive their parents. If parents
are loving, affirming, forgiving and yet strong in what they believe, children will think
of God that way.
Here are five things you do that predict whether your children will receive the
spiritual legacy a Christian parent desires. Do you:
1. Acknowledge and reinforce spiritual realities? Do your children know, for
example, that Jesus loves everyone? That God is personal, loving and will
forgive us?
2. View God as a personal, caring being who is to be loved and respected?
3. Make spiritual activities a routine part of life?
4. Clarify timeless truth — what is right and wrong?
5. Incorporate spiritual principles into everyday living.
(SOURCE: Your Heritage, by J. Otis Ledbetter and Kurt Bruner.)
 What I Can Do

Activity: Understanding My Own Family Structure

In this activity, you will need a family picture. Paste it on your notebook. If
you do not have a recent family picture, you can cut out pictures from the magazines
and just put name of your family member on each picture. You may also draw your
family picture.
Identify what family structure you have at home. Write the names of each
member of your family below the picture. In a short paragraph, describe your family.
Explain your family’s social, emotional and spiritual legacies.

My Family
____
____
____
____
____