Moving and Family Relations
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by: joe.moesier
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Word Count: 514
Each year Americans are moving intercity, interstate and abroad. Chasing the American Dream is forcing people to migrate. Moving has it pros and cons. One such adverse effect has been the social costs of moving on the traditional American Family.
Two or three generations of family living together in the same house or the same city comprises the traditional American family. This concept of family is epitomized by rural America, but is fast losing relevance in cities where unitary families are a norm. Better economic prospects in states other than that of original residence are forcing the Americans to take a hard choice. These choices include moving away which has an adverse effect on their families. The elders of a family are the most affected when a decision to relocate is taken. This decision typically involves leaving behind the elders. This results in a sudden loss of known family social circle, an empty nest syndrome which has a deleterious effect on the psychological health of the aged. Families moving sometimes opt to put their elders in old age homes and institutions for the aged so as to concentrate on their aspirations. Such a move is difficult for some elders to cope with and they become depressed.
It is not that just the elders are affected. The absence of the grandfather and/or the grandmother has its effect on the children too. The moral values and lessons of life passed on verbally by the grandparents are lost to them.
Moving to a new place consumes finances. Any relocation is a challenge on your budget management, which would include careful assessment of your immediate liquidity, as well as your various insurance policies. Your interstate moves would of course be less painful than say a move abroad, which requires a longer and more judicious financial plan. The financial health of unitary families is also affected. It may well happen that the children plan to move away requiring the parents to chip in thus increasing the financial burden. Despite doing that, the children may not reciprocate on reaching their new place thus straining the family social relations.
Intra-family and societal relations are affected by migration. The vacuum created by loss of family members requires to be filled. When suitable role models do not fill the space, siblings become vulnerable to the darker sides of human nature and at a later stage visits to the psychiatrist become a norm. Ever wondered why the psychiatrist has become such an important figure in daily lives of Americans? The answer possibly lies in migration, which is causing disarray in the American social structure. The issue that needs to be addressed is whether we as Americans must reconsider our choices, or continue our quest for fulfilling the American dream at all cost.Links ... Links ...
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