Howdy! 

This week was pretty short due to no classes on Monday for MLK day, but it was great and full of learning! One important thing I learned from class this week was that families are hard to generalize and study. When people know they are being studied or observed, they will often act differently than they would while at home going through their daily routine. There are a few theories that we discussed in class on Tuesday:

1. Systems Theory
2. Exchange Theory
3. Conflict Theory
4. Symbolic Interaction

The systems theory is summarized as meaning the whole is greater than the sum of parts. This basically means that when there is change in one family member, there is often change in all parts of the family. An example of this is when my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer a couple of years ago. This was unexpected for all of us and it was hard to adjust, because my mom does so much for everyone in my family. She was the cook, chauffeur, doctor, and the nurturer. Not to overlook my dad, he was the main provider for our family growing up and still is. He always supported his children in all our extracurricular activities. He was a coach, teacher, and protector. However, when my mom got sick every one's roles had to be shifted, whether we liked it or not. Of course we had a lot of help from church friends and extended family, but my dad really stepped up in a time of need and I am very grateful for that. 

The exchange theory is pretty self-explanatory. It has the mindset of "you owe me." There are a lot of expectations that are set. Exchange theory doesn't explain all of family life, "but it is clearly of value in our efforts to understand" (Marriage & Family 8th edition, Lauer). In this theory people try to determine if a situation is fair or appealing or worthwhile. 

The conflict theory is an explanation that focuses on two types of groups: social class and gender. Power--->Influence. The higher your social class, the more resources you have available to you. With respect to gender, some believe that men have advantage in the power struggle because they possess more of a crucial resource- money. However, I believe that communication is key in every relationship and if you sit down as husband and wife, you can discuss things, such as money, and just be willing to help each other out when needed.

The last theory I'll discuss is the symbolic interaction theory. All interactions are(can be) symbolic, representing/ conveying something. We don't all share the same meanings. Like I mentioned earlier, communication is important. Talk to your spouse if there are issues, because the longer you hold it inside, the bigger the explosion(fight) will be when you cant take it anymore. Make sure y'all  are on the same page with things to prevent confusion or feelings getting hurt.

As you can tell, lots of learning is going on in this family relations class. Brother Williams makes an 8 o'clock class worth going to. We even got to do a skit on Thursday of a small family going to therapy. It was an eye opener and kept me engaged in the lesson, while on other days I'd probably be struggling to stay awake in an 8 am lecture. 

As always, thanks for reading! Families are great and make the world a better place. Always make time for them, they are God's greatest gifts/ creations.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my big brother, Kirby :)
-Karly B.