Position Paper
A nation can only be as strong as its families. The declining number of strong families in the United States is having a negative impact on the nation as a whole. A survey done in the period 2008-2012 by US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey had disturbing results. It revealed that 54 percent of American teens between 15 and 17 years have lived in broken families (Mcclain, 2016). These are families where the biological parents have either never been married or are divorced. Weak families compromise the human, social and moral capital of the nation. This goes on to affect the finances and overall economy of the nation. Strong families result in a strong nation while weak families make the nation weak. This is why I advocate for better family values in this nation.
Broken families raise vulnerable children who end up becoming broken adults (Poo & Whitlatch, 2017). Such offspring grow up with a feeling of rejection that causes them to make poor decisions, as they have not had good examples set for them at home. This results in the self-perpetuating cycle of broken families, as they tend to have a poor perspective of marriage and family.
A family that is intact fosters an environment for emotional, physical, psychological, and economic growth. A stable family encourages the members to excel in their education, occupation, finances, and their religious practices. The children raised in a stable family feel accepted and have a higher moral standpoint in their view of the world compared to youths coming from broken homes. The biggest beneficiaries of stable families are the children. Children that hail from strong families tend to have a social advantage over time compared to their peers from broken homes (Poo & Whitlatch, 2017). They have a higher likelihood of going to college. Further, they have connections courtesy of their families’ networks that make it easier for them to get well paying jobs. In contrastingly, children from broken homes are ill qualified for well paying jobs and often end up having criminal records that further thwart their employability.
Having a stable family also is advantageous to the parents. A well-run family gives the parents a sense of purpose and satisfaction that is unrivaled. The economic and financial choices made by the adults in a stable family are well thought out and meant to perpetuate the good environment at home. These decisions are also coincidentally, good for the overall economy of the country and cohesion in their communities (Mcclain, 2016). A nation full of strong families tends to prosper and maintain peace, as the children are well taken care of and taught to respect and value others (Mcclain, 2016). The tranquility experienced in such a nation is a fertile environment for growth and innovation.
A case can be made against strong families from the fact that they promote social inequalities. Persons coming from strong families tend to have an advantage over those from broken families in terms of education and employment. However, this happens randomly and not intentionally for either. The best that one can do is to ensure that their family is strong for the sake of their children. With the rising cases of divorce, single parenting, and new definitions of family, it is becoming harder to have strong families. An increase in broken families is wreaking havoc on the progress of the nation as a whole. Every adult should aspire to have a functional and stable family to reclaim the glory of this nation before it is dimmed by a generation raised in broken homes.
References
Mcclain, L. C. (2016). The family, the state, and american political development as a big tent: Asking basic questions about basic institutions. Polity, 48(2), 224-242. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/pol.2016.7
Poo, A., & Whitlatch, C. (2017). Caregiving in america: Supporting families, strengthening the workforce. Generations, 40(4), 87-93.