family origin essay examples

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Best Family Essay Examples

My family and my origin.

628 words | 3 page(s)

When I am asked to pinpoint what has shaped me into who I am today, I have to conclude that it is because of my family and my native city of Athens, Greece. I was born and raised in the northern suburb of Athens which was one of the safest areas of the city. However, after the economic crisis of 2008 many things changed. I was twelve years old when I saw a police officer kill a fifteen year old boy from my school. This was the beginning of a new era for Greece. People took to the streets in protest. After a week, most of the buildings were burned or heavily damaged. This was the first time that I understood that something was going wrong and it changed my perception of the world. I started researching information about the police, the economic crisis, and politics.

Although five years have passed, not many things have changed, but those five years were crucial for me as I went from child, to teenager, and now, to an adult. Living in Athens played huge role in this change as I learned to survive in tough conditions, and I realized that I am lucky just because I have something to eat and a home in which to live.

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My family has shaped my character through many changes we have experienced together in just a few short years. When I was a young child, everything was fine since both my parents loved each other and we did not face any economic problems. In 2006, my grandfather entered the hospital, and then I realized the major financial problems we faced. This did not disturb us though because we were supporting each other. After my grandfather died in 2007, our economic situation became better despite the downturn of the Greek economy. We moved to a bigger house, and I bought a dog that I had always wanted. It seemed that the worse had passed. The next five years are what shaped my personality more than anything.

My parents started fighting every day, and my father left home in 2009 when I was fourteen years old. Up until a year and a half ago, my mother cried every day and confided her problems to me. As the only child, I realized that I had to mature fast in order to protect and help my mother. Fortunately, we did not suffer financially because my father supported us and still supports us to this day. My father and I tried to have the best possible relationship we could despite the fact that he was not home. It has become easier over the years, but he and I both know it will never be the same.

I had to be a good student because my mother was always telling me that I have to set high goals and work to achieve them. My goal has always been to study in the United States. I tried hard as I could to not concentrate on the things happening in the family. Many times I did not even want to come home from school, but my friends helped me to overcome this. I discovered how important water-skiing was for me. The only time that I could forget everything else was when I was on skis. I began to focus on my athletic goal to be a successful water-skier.

Even though the years 2009 to 2012 were the worst years of my life, I realized some truths about life, and I am grateful that I learned them so young. First of all, money does not buy happiness. Second, family and friends are important to get through life’s misfortunes. Finally, the best things in life are not things. My misfortunes molded me into the young adult I am now.

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How to Write an Essay About My Family History

A family comprises of people living together that form a social group within a community. The people creating this group are subject to relationships either by birth or blood, and it comprises at least two adults as parents and grandparents, together with young children. The family members have a mutual connection between them. Therefore, an essay about family history is a synopsis of an individual's social identity and the reciprocal relationship(s) he/she shares with the people living together. Learning family history is vital to understand our social status, humanity, and diversity. History keeps our memories for generations to understand who they are and their geographic origin. Having a good knowledge of family background lets you appreciate the things or sacrifices made before by grandparents to experience better things in life. An individual's roots and origin bring a sense of self-discovery. Also, writing about your family history is one way of preserving its heritage for future generations.

How to Start A Family History Essay

Outline writing, tips concerning writing a family history essay introduction, how to write body paragraphs, how to write a conclusion for a family history essay, essay revision, essay proofreading, make citations, catchy titles for an essay about family history, short example of a college essay about family history.

How to Get the Best Family History Essay

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When writing an essay, there is a logical structure you must follow in giving out your arguments. A proper outline will produce an exciting presentation of every section, and it will fascinate the reader. The standard structure of an essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is an excellent example of an outline for a family history essay:

Introduction
Short family background information
Importance of writing about the family
Body (paragraphs)
Family members; grandparents, parents, and children
The community in which family resides
Form of livelihood
Conclusion (a summarizing paragraph)
Restating your contention
Summarize your key ideas
Provide a final comment or reflection about the essay

When writing a presentation about family history, you need to provide a hook to the readers, to make them interested to know much about the family. You can start with facts or anecdotes about grandparents; for example, how they met on the first date and opted to make a family together, you can as well describe the circumstances. You can also provide an insight into a situation by your ancestors that impacted your life experience—the other thing to include in the short background information about your family. Remember to provide a clear and debatable thesis statement that will serve as the roadmap for your discussion in the paper.

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The body paragraphs contain the arguments one needs to discuss the subject topic. Every section includes the main idea or explanatory statement as the first sentence; the primary purpose is a debatable point that you need to prove. The length of a paragraph depends on the accurate measurement of ideas. In most cases, a section has about five sentences; but it can be as short or long as you want, depending on what you discuss. A paragraph has the main statement, supporting sentence(s) with evidence, and concluding sentences. When crafting the body, ensure a clear flow of ideas, connecting from one argument to the other. Transitional words, when used accordingly, can provide a nice transition and flow of ideas from one paragraph to the other. The commonly used transitional words or phrases include moreover, also, therefore, consequently, hence, thus, finally, etc.

A conclusion is as crucial as the introduction; it is the final recap of what your essay entails. The ending paragraph contains three main parts that form a full section. First, remind the audience of your thesis statement and show its relation to the essay topic. Second, provide a summary of the key arguments that you discussed in the body paragraphs. Third, it is advisable to add a final comment or general reflection about the essay. It's important to state that you should use different wording in the conclusion when restating statements and arguments. Also, remember to use signal words at the start of concluding paragraphs like in conclusion, finish, etc.

Revision is an opportunity for a student to review the content in his/her paper and identify parts that need improvement. Some students start revising as they begin drafting their essays. During revision, you need to restructure and rearrange sentences to enhance your work quality and ensure the message reaches your audience well. Revising gives you a chance to recheck whether the essay has a short main idea and a thesis statement, a specific purpose, whether the introduction is strong enough to hook the audience and organization of the article. Also, you check if there is a clear transition from one paragraph to another and ascertain if the conclusion is competent enough to emphasize the purpose of the paper.

Nothing is more frustrating than submitting an essay to earn dismal grade due to silly common mistakes. Proofreading is an essential stage in the editing process. It is an opportunity for reviewing the paper, identifying and correcting common mistakes such as typos, punctuation, grammatical errors, etc. Since proofreading is the final part of the editing, proofread only after finishing the other editing stages like revision. It is advisable to get help from another pair of eyes; you can send the paper to your friend to help you in the same process. There are online proofreading tools such as Grammarly and Hemingway, which you can use to proofread, but you should not only rely on grammar checkers. Remember to proofread the document at least three times.

Making citations is an essential way of keeping references for the sources of content you used. As you are editing, you may make several changes to the document. Do not forget to correctly provide citations for every fact or quote you obtained from other sources. There are different citation formats such as APA, MLA, etc.; therefore, you need to ensure correct usage of quotes depending on the requirement by your professor. The sources you cite present the list of references or bibliography at the end of your essay for easy reference.

Generation to Generation
The Origin of My Family
Our Circle and Family Heritage
A Lifetime of Love
Because of Two Lovebirds, I Am Here
The Family Archives
The Family Ties
Branches of The Family Tree
The Generational Genes
Forever as a Family
It All Started with a Date
Bits of Yesteryears

Would you want to know how it all started until here? My grandpa told me that he met my grandma at a concert where one of the greatest artists was performing during one of the summer holidays in New York City. As he was dancing alone, my grandpa approached a beautiful lady (who would become his soulmate) to ask her to dance together. They later agreed to meet for a dinner date. Our family lives in New York. Undoubtedly, this is the best family, and it's an honor to be part of it.

Every person has two sides within his/her family; my paternal side originates from Canada, while the maternal side is from America. Although my great grandfather comes from Canada, my grandpa and grandma live in New York. My grandfather is Afro-American who worked as a bartender, no wonder he loved concerts! My father works as a conservationist for aquatic fauna while my mother works in the bakery. My mother and father met in a supermarket when they were both doing shopping.

Although we live in the same city, my grandparents have their apartment, a distance from ours. We live as a family of five; dad, mum, and three children. As we all live in the same city, we (me and my two sisters) occasionally visit our grandparents during the weekends to spend some time with them; grandpa and I were doing some gardening while my sisters and grandma do cook and other house chores. The bond between our great parents and ours is very excellent.

At Christmas, all my children, mum, and dad travel to our grandparents for a whole week. During the new year, we get together at our house, my parent's house, to welcome the year as an entire family. Sometimes during the weekends, we usually spend most of our time on the beach swimming, except on church days. As a family, our favorite food is deep-fried fish, rice, and vegetables. However, my grandpa likes chicken hash.

In conclusion, the social co-existence between us is excellent, which has created a robust mutual bond for the family. From visiting each other, spending time on the beach, having to get together meals to usher the new year, and celebrating Christmas as a family, the bond keeps growing. I am privileged to be part of such a great family.

How to Get the Best Family History Essay?

Every student would want to produce the best essay possible to earn a better grade. One way of getting information is through previously written materials such as essay samples. Pre-written essay samples have become popular recently among college students due to the vital information they offer. There are several sites, such as Essay Kitchen, that provide pre-written essays on family history at affordable prices. Students can use the essay samples to obtain enough content and idea about paper outline the professor expect; thus, producing a quality article.

Essay writing is a daunting experience for most college students. The academic pressure, coupled with a lot of other activities, makes the whole experience an ordeal. Some students have a lot of responsibilities and find themselves with limited time to handle their academic essays. Consequently, the students use online essay writing service 12 hours at Edu Jungles to write my essay for me at an affordable rate.

Knowing your family history is very important. It enables one to self-discover himself within the society and appreciate the lineage. When you learn about your family's past, you will understand the things you see and experience today. Writing an essay on family history requires a lot of understanding and attention to the aspects you need to describe. The critical factor being family background, then understanding how you need to structure and jot down your ideas.

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Essay about Family: What It Is and How to Nail It

Humans naturally seek belonging within families, finding comfort in knowing someone always cares. Yet, families can also stir up insecurities and mental health struggles.

Family dynamics continue to intrigue researchers across different fields. Every year, new studies explore how these relationships shape our minds and emotions.

In this article, our dissertation service will guide you through writing a family essay. You can also dive into our list of topics for inspiration and explore some standout examples to spark your creativity.

What is Family Essay

A family essay takes a close look at the bonds and experiences within families. It's a common academic assignment, especially in subjects like sociology, psychology, and literature.

So, what's involved exactly? Simply put, it's an exploration of what family signifies to you. You might reflect on cherished family memories or contemplate the portrayal of families in various media.

What sets a family essay apart is its personal touch. It allows you to express your own thoughts and experiences. Moreover, it's versatile – you can analyze family dynamics, reminisce about family customs, or explore other facets of familial life.

If you're feeling uncertain about how to write an essay about family, don't worry; you can explore different perspectives and select topics that resonate with various aspects of family life.

Tips For Writing An Essay On Family Topics

A family essay typically follows a free-form style, unless specified otherwise, and adheres to the classic 5-paragraph structure. As you jot down your thoughts, aim to infuse your essay with inspiration and the essence of creative writing, unless your family essay topics lean towards complexity or science.

Here are some easy-to-follow tips from our essay service experts:

Focus on a Specific Aspect: Instead of a broad overview, delve into a specific angle that piques your interest, such as exploring how birth order influences sibling dynamics or examining the evolving role of grandparents in modern families.
Share Personal Anecdotes: Start your family essay introduction with a personal touch by sharing stories from your own experiences. Whether it's about a favorite tradition, a special trip, or a tough time, these stories make your writing more interesting.
Use Real-life Examples: Illustrate your points with concrete examples or anecdotes. Draw from sources like movies, books, historical events, or personal interviews to bring your ideas to life.
Explore Cultural Diversity: Consider the diverse array of family structures across different cultures. Compare traditional values, extended family systems, or the unique hurdles faced by multicultural families.
Take a Stance: Engage with contentious topics such as homeschooling, reproductive technologies, or governmental policies impacting families. Ensure your arguments are supported by solid evidence.
Delve into Psychology: Explore the psychological underpinnings of family dynamics, touching on concepts like attachment theory, childhood trauma, or patterns of dysfunction within families.
Emphasize Positivity: Share uplifting stories of families overcoming adversity or discuss strategies for nurturing strong, supportive family bonds.
Offer Practical Solutions: Wrap up your essay by proposing actionable solutions to common family challenges, such as fostering better communication, achieving work-life balance, or advocating for family-friendly policies.

Family Essay Topics

When it comes to writing, essay topics about family are often considered easier because we're intimately familiar with our own families. The more you understand about your family dynamics, traditions, and experiences, the clearer your ideas become.

If you're feeling uninspired or unsure of where to start, don't worry! Below, we have compiled a list of good family essay topics to help get your creative juices flowing. Whether you're assigned this type of essay or simply want to explore the topic, these suggestions from our history essay writer are tailored to spark your imagination and prompt meaningful reflection on different aspects of family life.

So, take a moment to peruse the list. Choose the essay topics about family that resonate most with you. Then, dive in and start exploring your family's stories, traditions, and connections through your writing.

Supporting Family Through Tough Times
Staying Connected with Relatives
Empathy and Compassion in Family Life
Strengthening Bonds Through Family Gatherings
Quality Time with Family: How Vital Is It?
Navigating Family Relationships Across Generations
Learning Kindness and Generosity in a Large Family
Communication in Healthy Family Dynamics
Forgiveness in Family Conflict Resolution
Building Trust Among Extended Family
Defining Family in Today's World
Understanding Nuclear Family: Various Views and Cultural Differences
Understanding Family Dynamics: Relationships Within the Family Unit
What Defines a Family Member?
Modernizing the Nuclear Family Concept
Exploring Shared Beliefs Among Family Members
Evolution of the Concept of Family Love Over Time
Examining Family Expectations
Modern Standards and the Idea of an Ideal Family
Life Experiences and Perceptions of Family Life
Genetics and Extended Family Connections
Utilizing Family Trees for Ancestral Links
The Role of Younger Siblings in Family Dynamics
Tracing Family History Through Oral Tradition and Genealogy
Tracing Family Values Through Your Family Tree
Exploring Your Elder Sister's Legacy in the Family Tree
Connecting Daily Habits to Family History
Documenting and Preserving Your Family's Legacy
Navigating Online Records and DNA Testing for Family History
Tradition as a Tool for Family Resilience
Involving Family in Daily Life to Maintain Traditions
Creating New Traditions for a Small Family
The Role of Traditions in Family Happiness
Family Recipes and Bonding at House Parties
Quality Time: The Secret Tradition for Family Happiness
The Joy of Cousins Visiting for Christmas
Including Family in Birthday Celebrations
Balancing Traditions and Unconditional Love
Building Family Bonds Through Traditions

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Family Essay Example

For a better grasp of the essay on family, our team of skilled writers has crafted a great example. It looks into the subject matter, allowing you to explore and understand the intricacies involved in creating compelling family essays. So, check out our meticulously crafted sample to discover how to craft essays that are not only well-written but also thought-provoking and impactful.

Final Outlook

In wrapping up, let's remember: a family essay gives students a chance to showcase their academic skills and creativity by sharing personal stories. However, it's important to stick to academic standards when writing about these topics. We hope our list of topics sparked your creativity and got you on your way to a reflective journey. And if you hit a rough patch, you can just ask us to ' do my essay for me ' for top-notch results!

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FAQs on Writing an Essay about Family

Family essays seem like something school children could be assigned at elementary schools, but family is no less important than climate change for our society today, and therefore it is one of the most central research themes.

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions on family-related topics. Before you conduct research, scroll through them and find out how to write an essay about your family.

How to Write an Essay About Your Family History?

How to write an essay about a family member, how to write an essay about family and roots, how to write an essay about the importance of family, related articles.

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How to Write Your Family History

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Choose a Format

Define the scope, set realistic deadlines.

Choose a Plot and Themes

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Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston University
B.A., Carnegie Mellon University

Writing a family history may seem like a daunting task, but when the relatives start nagging, you can follow these five easy steps to make your family history project a reality.

What do you envision for your family history project? A simple photocopied booklet shared only with family members or a full-scale, hard-bound book to serve as a reference for other genealogists? Perhaps you'd rather produce a family newsletter, cookbook, or website. Now is the time to be honest with yourself about the type of family history that meetings your needs and your schedule. Otherwise, you'll have a half-finished product nagging you for years to come.

Considering your interests, potential audience, and the types of materials you have to work with, here are some forms your family history can take:

Memoir/Narrative: A combination of story and personal experience, memoirs, and narratives do not need to be all-inclusive or objective. Memoirs usually focus on a specific episode or time period in the life of a single ancestor, while a narrative generally encompasses a group of ancestors.
Cookbook: Share your family's favorite recipes while writing about the people who created them. A fun project to assemble, cookbooks help carry on the family tradition of cooking and eating together.
Scrapbook or Album: If you're fortunate enough to have a large collection of family photos and memorabilia, a scrapbook or photo album can be a fun way to tell your family's story. Include your photos in chronological order and include stories, descriptions, and family trees to complement the pictures.

Most family histories are generally narrative in nature, with a combination of personal stories, photos, and family trees.

Do you intend to write mostly about just one particular relative, or everyone in your family tree ? As the author, you need to choose a focus for your family history book. Some possibilities include:

Single Line of Descent: Begin with the earliest known ancestor for a particular surname and follows him/her through a single line of descent (to yourself, for example). Each chapter of your book would cover one ancestor or generation.
All Descendants Of...: Begin with an individual or couple and cover all of their descendants, with chapters organized by generation. If you're focusing your family history on an immigrant ancestor, this is a good way to go.
Grandparents: Include a section on each of your four grandparents, or eight great-grandparents, or sixteen great-great-grandparents if you are feeling ambitious. Each individual section should focus on one grandparent and work backward through their ancestry or forward from his/her earliest known ancestor.

Again, these suggestions can easily be adapted to fit your interests, time constraints, and creativity.

Even though you'll likely find yourself scrambling to meet them, deadlines force you to complete each stage of your project. The goal here is to get each piece done within a specified time frame. Revising and polishing can always be done later. The best way to meet these deadlines is to schedule writing time, just as you would a visit to the doctor or the hairdresser.

Choose a Plot and Themes

Thinking of your ancestors as characters in your family story, ask yourself: what problems and obstacles did they face? A plot gives your family history interest and focus. Popular family history plots and themes include:

Immigration/Migration
Rags to Riches
Pioneer or Farm Life
War Survival

If you want your family history to read more like a suspense novel than a dull, dry textbook, it is important to make the reader feel like an eyewitness to your family's life. Even when your ancestors didn't leave accounts of their daily lives, social histories can help you learn about the experiences of people in a given time and place. Read town and city histories to learn what life was life during certain periods of interest. Research timelines of wars, natural disasters, and epidemics to see if any might have influenced your ancestors. Read up on the fashions, art, transportation, and common foods of the time. If you haven't already, be sure to interview all of your living relatives. Family stories told in a relative's own words will add a personal touch to your book.

Don't Be Afraid to Use Records and Documents

Photos, pedigree charts, maps, and other illustrations can also add interest to family history and help break up the writing into manageable chunks for the reader. Be sure to include detailed captions for any photos or illustrations that you incorporate.

Source citations are an essential part of any family book, to both provide credibility to your research, and to leave a trail that others can follow to verify your findings.

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Make a Memory Book for Your Family
Family Tree Lesson Plans
Researching Famous (or Infamous) Ancestors

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Essay Samples on Family

This area of study will be relevant to students majoring in Education, Psychology, Healthcare, and Sociology. Those learners who must compose essays on family may deal with anything from legislation and divorce issues to domestic abuse and family relations all over the world. In case you are not able to provide an excellent paper on family, consider exploring your grading rubric again and think about something that inspires you. Think about family values and provide your readers with interesting facts or statistical information that is worth researching. When all else fails, take a look at our free family essay examples. These cover a wide range of subjects that will be suitable for educators, legal specialists, sociologists, and psychologists, among others. We even have case studies and family examples from famous literary works. Combine several examples as you compose your own to provide an even greater scope of a subject. Remember to provide citations for every idea that is not yours as a way to avoid plagiarism issues. When you explore our free family essay samples, see how to structure your writing by using the final part as a place to set a moral lesson or create a call to action.

How Does Family Influence Your Identity

Family is a powerful force that weaves the threads of our identity. The relationships, values, and experiences within our family unit play a significant role in shaping who we become. This essay delves into how family influences our identity, from the formation of core beliefs...

Personal Identity

Cause and Effect of Broken Family: Exploring the Impact on Individuals and Society

A broken family, characterized by divorce, separation, or strained relationships among family members, can have profound effects on individuals and society as a whole. This essay delves into the cause and effect of broken families, and examines the far-reaching consequences on emotional well-being, academic performance,...

What Does Family Mean to You: A Lifelong Treasure

Family is more than just a group of people who share a bloodline or a last name. It is a profound and intricate web of connections, emotions, and shared experiences that shape us into who we are. When asked, "What does family mean to you?"...

Family Values

My Family: Exploring the Roots of Love and Unity

Family is the cornerstone of our lives, the haven where we find solace, support, and unconditional love. As I reflect upon the significance of my family, I am reminded of the deep bonds that tie us together and the invaluable lessons I've learned from each...

Family Relationships

How I Celebrate Christmas: One Holiday, Two Celebrations

Christmas is a cherished time for my family, where we celebrate the season in two distinct ways. In this essay I want to share how I celebrate Christmas and discuss the intricacies of each tradition, as they hold a special place in our hearts. Celebrating...

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A Reflection on What Family Means to Me

Most of us have the same description of the family, we describe it as a group of people with a relationship by blood or they are biologically connected to each other. The ideal family always starts with father and mother then followed by one or...

Marriage and Family

Ethnographic Study Of One’s Family Origin

One may ask the question, exactly what is a family? A family is like a house, build on a strong foundation. The foundation is like the ancestors and grandparents, built to hold everything together. If the foundation breaks, then so does the family. The teachings...

Ethnography

The Novel "Everyday Use" By Alice Walker: A Literary Analysis

In the story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker introduces two sisters with opposite personalities and unique views on heritage. The purpose of this essay is to conduct a literary analysis of the story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. Maggie and Dee - different personalities, contrast...

Alice Walker
Everyday Use

My Experience Of Savoring Traditional Guatemalan Breakfast During The Family Visit

The last Sunday morning before I came to MSU my family and I decided to get together for breakfast. Since it was one of the last days that I was going to be in Guatemala we decided to make the traditional Guatemalan breakfast, the “Desayuno...

Cultural Identity

Semiotic Analysis Of The American Family Image In Family Guy

The idea of family shifts as currently construed significantly differs from the notions held for the typical 50s family. For anybody who has watched the popular TV show Family Guy, representation of ideal family behaviors are but a façade. The expectations for a perfect family...

Mixing Reality with Dreams in Inception

Apart from Cobb’s own family, Saito plays a critical part in suggesting that in the ending, Cobb has returned to reality. This can be shown through the repetition and the correlation of few scenes. To start off, the lines “...to become an old man, filled...

Best topics on Family

1. How Does Family Influence Your Identity

2. Cause and Effect of Broken Family: Exploring the Impact on Individuals and Society

3. What Does Family Mean to You: A Lifelong Treasure

4. My Family: Exploring the Roots of Love and Unity

5. How I Celebrate Christmas: One Holiday, Two Celebrations

6. A Reflection on What Family Means to Me

7. Ethnographic Study Of One’s Family Origin

8. The Novel “Everyday Use” By Alice Walker: A Literary Analysis

9. My Experience Of Savoring Traditional Guatemalan Breakfast During The Family Visit

10. Semiotic Analysis Of The American Family Image In Family Guy

11. Mixing Reality with Dreams in Inception

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Personality
Coming of Age

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Arts & Humanities

My Family of Origin: Discussion

Arts & Humanities

Format: APA

Academic level: College

Paper type: Essay (Any Type)

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Family Essays

A family of origin is that particular family where one was born or adopted into, and it includes people who participate in raising an individual from childhood. The family origin of an individual has significant importance because it plays a critical role in shaping child core beliefs, family beliefs, and the purpose of human life (Galvin, Braithwaite, & Bylund, 2015). The family beliefs, rules and values are passed down from one generation to another by living together most of the time. This is how an individual’s family of origin is perpetuated. The use of images, themes, boundaries, and biosocial beliefs can influence an individual’s understanding of the family of origin.

Reflecting on the past is now easier than never before with the use of images. Images help people remember that past and, therefore, crucial for understanding the family origin of an individual. With the help of images, I can vividly understand how we were brought up with my other siblings, myself being the youngest of all. The images also capture other family members who were instrumental in shaping our current lives, even though they are no longer with us. With the help of images, I can understand that, however, my father and mother had other children they could come together and raise us together with my grandmother with utmost care and love.

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One of my family’s most evident themes is love and care, where parents watched over our grandmother and us and my elder siblings. With the support of the photographs taken during that time, we can conclude that we had very loving parents and grandmother and could spend all their time and resources to see us happy. When I talk about the care, it reminds one time when I was sick, and my grandmother and my parents could all come together to the hospital where I was admitted, and we could spend the entire day with them sitting by my side.

Even though my family was loving and caring, they were also strict, and if one is found on the wrong side of the family rules, he/she will not miss disciplinary action. Strict rules guided my family, and I remember one day, my older brother was bitten thoroughly by my grandmother after failing to attend a church service and instead when out for fishing with his friends. My family had specific boundaries with which one can operate, and the entire family could not tolerate any individual who goes against the family’s social boundaries.

When I recall some of the beliefs that my family used to share with us makes me admit that what they were saying modified our lives today. Since our family was a middle-income family, our parents were struggling financially to see us through school and ensure that we live a good life in the future. They believed that changing the future was possible. The guidance and the beliefs that our family cultivated in us while we were young transformed our current lives and created an actual picture of the life we were living back then.

Admittedly, the family of origin plays a significant role in shaping the life of an individual. When the family is caring and protective, the lives of children from that particular family will be having significant differences with children from other families with no protection or love. The family needs to uphold good morals and good values because this had a significant impact on children’s lives when they grew up.

Galvin, K. M., Braithwaite, D. O., & Bylund, C. L. (2015). Family communication: Cohesion and change. Routledge.

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9 Tips for Getting Started on Writing Your Family History

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Written by Diane Haddad, unless otherwise noted.

Once you’ve been doing genealogy research for a while, and you have a family tree or a computer hard drive or a filing cabinet with a bunch of notes and old records, you might wonder what to do with it all. Or perhaps you’ve always harbored the dream of sharing your family history, and you’re not sure how.

It’s a hard truth: Few people have much use for an unstructured assortment of documents and computer files. Even folks who are curious about their family history—and that describes most I’ve met—aren’t likely to sort through your research and rebuild the store of knowledge you’ve amassed over years.

If your family research is to live beyond you, you’ll need to do the work of putting it into some shareable, lasting form. That usually means summarizing your finds in writing, maybe enhanced with photos and images of interesting documents. Whether you go all-out with a self-published hardback or just pass out stapled pages at the next family reunion, you’ll create a legacy—a framework others can use to understand your family’s story and the genealogical evidence you’ve gathered.

We can’t promise the project will be a breeze, but we can promise it’ll be easier when you follow these tips and use our handy organizing worksheet.

1. Know Your Purpose

Before you begin, it’s important to know what you hope to accomplish with this writing project. Do you want to summarize all your research, share your family legacy, pass down the stories Grandpa told, tell how your family fits into local history, share the story of an ancestor or family you admire, celebrate your ethnic heritage, or something else?

A strong focus makes the project more manageable, says Sunny Jane Morton, author of Story of My Life . “A small, finished project is better than a three-volume tome that exists only in your dreams.”

Need help narrowing the scope? Morton advises looking at your research for the most compelling story or interesting person. Author Sophia Wilson, who penned an 160,000-word history of her family, started her project by writing as many family stories as she could think of, then turning them into short biographies of the people involved. She wrote every day for at least 15 minutes, but sometimes for hours at a time. Taken together, those biographies served as the starting point for her project.

Alternately, you could choose a topic that commemorates an upcoming family milestone, such as your parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. Or you might start with whatever is most doable.

Your audience is an important aspect of your goal. For a project just family will see, you might use a casual writing style, refer to relatives with familiar titles (“Great-grandpa Thornton”), and use in-text source information. If other genealogists will read your work in a newsletter, journal or published book, you’ll want a more authoritative style with an emphasis on your research process, and formal source citations in footnotes and source lists.

Think about your audience’s age (or level of maturity), too. Wilson recalls how her research turned up stories that might not be appropriate to a younger audience. “Instead of shifting the focus of my book, I decided that children could simply read the unvarnished truth once they were mature enough,” Wilson says. “Age-appropriate stories could be extracted and adapted for a younger audience, for whom I would also write at a lower reading level.”

“I kept coming back to what I wanted the project to accomplish (preserving and sharing memories for the younger generation) and letting that guide my decisions,” she says.

2. Make a Plan

An outline gives you a framework for building your project, especially if it involves multiple people or a long time span. Make a list of elements you want to include. Don’t worry about organizing the list yet.

Here’s an example for my maternal family history opus:

a family tree of Mom’s family
information about the places the family came from with a map, including why so many immigrated from each place
names and immigration details of all the immigrant ancestors: Henry Seeger, Eduard Thoss, Mary Mairose, Thomas Frost, Edward Norris, Elizabeth Butler, Henry Hoernemann, Anna Maria Weyer, and so on.
where these families settled in the United States, their jobs and their children
Eduard Thoss tavern in Northern Kentucky
info on Cincinnati Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, where so many settled
Dierkes boys in family cemetery plot
Henry Seeger’s cigar store, with photos and timeline, and two babies who died as infants
Thomas Frost/Mary Wolking divorce
Ade Thoss and the Covington Blue Sox
possible family connection to Windthorst, Kan.
death of Elizabeth Teipel Thoss and several of her children
Benjamin Teipel trap-shooting invention and death
Civil War service of Frank and Benjamin Thoss
firefighter Raymond Norris and Newton Tea & Spice Co. Fire
how Grandma and Grandpa met

Your list might cause you to rethink your project scope. For example, I’m seeing that I could divide up my project by family branches, breaking it down into smaller parts (and this is only part of my list).

When you know the topics you want to cover, arrange them in an order that makes sense to you. You could do chronological order, geographical order (group all information related to Germany, all immigration information, all second generation information), family branches one at a time, or some other arrangement. You could opt for a general overview then add several shorter profiles of specific ancestors or families.

Wilson shares how she thought about structure while planning her project:

One option would be maintaining individual biographies, organized in the book by birth year, generation or location. Or I could combine all biographies into a single narrative chronology, or even organize the stories by theme (women, farming, culture, etc.). I opted for the most straightforward and comprehensive order: chronological. With this approach, I gained a deeper understanding of how my ancestors’ lives developed over time, and how one event flowed into another.

Next, create an outline by organizing topics into sections or chapters. Read published family histories for examples. One of my favorites is Family by Ian Frazier.

3. Say It with Pictures

Pictures and graphs will engage your readers, help them follow complicated lineages and show what you’re talking about. “Plan as you go which pictures, documents, maps, charts and genealogical reports will best illustrate your narrative,” Morton advises.

Depending how many photos and documents you’ve found, you’ll want to winnow the options to those from key moments in your family history, selecting those that will reproduce well in the finished product. Consider adding transcriptions for hard-to-read or foreign-language documents.

Keep copyright in mind. If you plan to publish your work (including on a website), get permission from the copyright holder or owner of any images you didn’t create or that aren’t in your personal collection. For a quick read about understanding copyright laws, check out this article .

4. Get Organized and Utilize Apps

Now you’re ready to write. As you work, go over your records for families and people you’re writing about. Wilson developed a filing system that automatically sorted documents by individual. “I created a separate document for every event so I could easily insert new findings, titling each with the event, the date and the location,” she says. “I then grouped the documents into folders, one folder for each year.”

To help you organize source references, add in-text references with the title, author and page or record number in parentheses when you use information from a record, article, book or website. Also create a bibliography of sources as you go. This should include everything needed to find that source again: title, author, publisher or creator (such as the National Archives), publication date and place, website, etc.

Later, when your project is mostly complete, you can keep the in-text references, or number the references and create footnotes (short-form citations at the bottom of the page) or end notes (short-form citations at the end of a chapter). Include the bibliography at the end of your work. For help with source citations, use the book Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills (Genealogical Publishing Co.).

You might have a writing head start if you can pull together blog posts or short essays you’ve already written about your family history. Your genealogy software or online tree might offer a timeline you can follow, or even generate a narrative report for you. For an ambitious project or if you do a lot of writing, you might invest in software such as Scrivener . Additionally, writing apps can help you create an outline, organize and edit your story.

Read: How to Create a Genealogy Source Citation

5. Generate Ideas through Prompts and Research

If you’re still having trouble knowing what to write, try answering the family history writing prompts in a book such as Stories From My Grandparent or from Family Tree Magazine . These will help you flesh out ideas and take your family stories in new directions.

Revisit your research for story ideas, and let what you find in documents inspire you. Wilson consulted books (both digital and physical) about her ancestors’ location and ethnic group, as well as documents on genealogy websites like Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com. One book on Ancestry.com contained all the church records for her ancestors, some written by her great-great-great-grandfather’s best friend.

Wilson also revisited local histories and newspapers she had found early in her project. “Now that I was further in my research, I recognized more names and better understood the relationships among them,” she says. “People I had dismissed as “townsfolk” turned out to be in-laws and close friends of my lineal ancestors.”

6. Seek Out Help

Look for writers’ groups and classes in your community. From online groups to friends and family members, having a community you can rely on for feedback and encouragement is essential.

Reaching out can also lead to new research finds, important for sourcing the details in your stories. Wilson connected with other family historians, as well as genealogical societies and libraries (who scanned entire chapters of reference books for her to consult). One cousin-in-law even sent her photos and a relevant family keepsake they found on eBay.

7. Begin in the Middle

Don’t let the “how to start” roadblock stall your project right out of the gate. If you don’t know how to begin, just start writing a story you like—maybe it’s about an ancestor’s immigration, military service or venture to the wrong side of the law. The words will flow from there.

“My goal wasn’t perfection, just to get memories on the page,” Wilson says about her first step of writing family biographies. “I didn’t waste time checking spelling and grammar—that would come later.” An interesting or dramatic event is often the best way to begin a story, anyway. Remember, you’re not carving in stone: You can always rearrange things later.

8. Write Naturally

If you’re writing for relatives, pretend you’re telling your family story to a friend. If you’re writing for a publication, tailor your work to that publication’s style.

Wilson had to wrestle with how to balance facts she found in her research with storytelling. “I thought of how much I hated history class growing up—all those names-places-dates to memorize, and no story to latch onto,” Wilson says. “I resolved to … strive for historical accuracy without resorting to the dry tone of a textbook.”

9. Take Your Time

A deadline can motivate you, but give yourself plenty of time. You want this project to add fulfillment to your family research, not cause stress. Start now and work on your writing project a little at a time, once a week or every evening if you can manage it. Imagine where you’ll be a year from now.

A version of this article appeared in the December 2018 issue of Family Tree Magazine , written by Diane Haddad. Sophia Wilson’s article on the steps she took to write her family history narrative appeared in the March/April 2022 issue of Family Tree Magazine .

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Defining Your Family Of Origin And How It Impacts You

Content Warning: Please be advised that the following article deals with topics such as family trauma, abuse, dysfunctional family relationships, and other potentially triggering material. Read with discretion.

Your family of origin is often defined as the family unit in which you were raised . This term is not to be confused with "biological family." A biological family might have little to do with your development if they did not raise you. A biological family may be people you are genetically related to, but you may not consider them your own family. The term "family of origin" refers to the unit that cared for you as a child, these are the people that you had family experiences with growing up.

For example, you might have been raised by grandparents, an aunt or uncle, a family friend, your parents. Families of origin can also include siblings, cousins, or any other family members who live with you. Your family of origin is your first social group and may influence your thought patterns and behaviors, especially regarding a relationship.

Family of origin and its impact

Your family of origin may have had a considerable impact on your development as your early experiences may shape who you are as an adult. As many studies can attest, your family of origin helps to shape your worldview, determines how you relate to and interact with others , and can impact your mental and physical health. How your caregivers respond to your needs can impact your attachment style as an adult.

These influences may impact more than your childhood. The complex effects of how you were raised can affect your present and future. That's why it may be valuable to consider your family dynamics and family history when working through any mental health concerns.

Common family of origin issues

You may find that you carry childhood hurts and traumas into adulthood and you may need to explore these feelings to move forward. As children are wholly dependent on their families for safety and belonging, how your family treats you can have a lasting impact on your emotional well-being. The dependence of a child can render them helpless in the face of abuse, neglect, and generational problems like dependence disorders, addiction, mental health disorders, and unhealthy family dynamics. When children sense that they are helpless, they may develop harmful beliefs later in life.

You may feel able to connect with others on a meaningful level and make social connections without a great deal of difficulty if you are in a healthy family of origin. Issues and challenges may feel easier to overcome and a healthy family of origin might help you develop self-confidence and determination. If your goals and personality were supported as a child, you might feel more comfortable with yourself as an adult.

Conversely, if your family of origin experiences contained trauma or tumultuous relationships, you may struggle to form connections with others. For instance, a family with addiction issues can harm the development of the child. To cope with the unpredictable behavior of the addict, family members may adopt family roles in addiction . An unhealthy family of origin may cause One may experience anxiety, depression, or other mood or personality disorders as a result of an unhealthy family of origin. Experiences like this can also cause cyclical patterns that can continue through generations if family circumstances do not change.

Healthy parental relationships

Healthy families of origin might include marriage. However, some do not, those who are single parenting can also provide their dependents with a healthy childhood. The family structure does not necessarily signal a positive or negative family of origin. A caregiver's ability to interact with romantic partners kindly and respectfully may be more significant. When parents or guardians show their children how to have respectful romantic relationships, they can set their dependents up for marital success.

Conversely, unhealthy romantic relationships may perpetuate generational conflict and troubled romantic encounters. If you're not given a healthy model for these types of relationships, it can be challenging to know how to navigate them. Furthermore, if you only see unhealthy or unproductive relationships as a child, you might adopt those same patterns in your romantic encounters when you grow up and it may be difficult to set appropriate boundaries.

Relationships

Like romantic relationships, your workplace relationships, friendships, and many other interactions can be colored by your family of origin and your family members play a role in how you interact with others. If your family engaged with others to cultivate friendships and close relationships, you might feel comfortable doing the same.

However, if other people were treated with suspicion or discomfort by your family, you might feel hesitant about entering new relationships or keep people at a distance.

Self-esteem

Supportive families of origin might create an environment where self-esteem can thrive. Families who support one another's dreams and encourage one another's strengths and talents may help produce well-adjusted, healthy children.

On the flip side, families who frequently resort to criticism and often point out the flaws in their loved ones' dreams, wants, and personalities could cause children and adults to struggle to make decisions independently. These children may have difficulty cultivating independence and living healthy lives in this situation.

Lifestyle habits

Children often adopt lifestyle habits from their family of origin. For example, if your family rarely exercises, you might also adopt that habit. If your family emphasizes the environment and conservation, you might also value these things. The lifestyle your family of origin leads is likely to form the basis for your lifestyle choices later in life.

What is family of origin work?

Although many adults recognize or are aware of unhealthy behaviors, some problematic behaviors and patterns may slip under the radar and understanding these patterns can be challenging. Family-of-origin problems may first arise in mental health symptoms or conditions. However, if you can't see a problem, you may struggle to solve it.

If this resonates with you, know that you're not alone and that building awareness can help on your path forward. Many people have untreated family traumas that they must work through to improve mental health, and the root of these traumas is not always obvious. Talk therapy can be a valuable tool to help you uncover unconscious behaviors, thoughts, or biases that might stem from your family of origin.

Some people may have internalized misogyny, racism, or classism from their upbringing, while others may have chronically low self-esteem. Others have adopted undesirable habits from their families, such as procrastinating or eating unhealthy foods. All these challenges fall under the umbrella called "family of origin" work, but the work involved may differ substantially from person to person.

Counseling for family of origin work

Becoming an adult may involve learning to recognize your biases and where they come from. Introspection could go a long way as you learn more about your thoughts and behaviors. You may want to question your beliefs to move beyond unhealthy relationships, ideas, or belief systems. Asking yourself, "do I actually believe this?" might take you down a road of self-discovery.

Exposing yourself to a new culture, idea, and relationship can also help you begin to unravel issues that may be present within your family of origin. Everyone may benefit from taking a step back from their assumptions and learning to look at the world differently. For many, that involves speaking to a counselor.

If you find yourself "too busy" for counseling or are unsure how to get started, an affordable and available option for you might be online therapy. An online therapist may support you in finding any family of origin issues or discussing any emotions that come up as you remember your past. They may also help you measure perceived levels of health in your family of origin. In some cases, family therapy can also be helpful to address group dynamics.

Through an online platform such as BetterHelp , you can work through any concerns with a counselor of your choice through online chat, video, or phone calling. Additionally, studies indicate that online counseling is as effective as in-person therapy. For individuals or clients who are seeking family therapy may also find a family therapist who can provide service online.

Family of origin wounds can be challenging to understand and work through. Because they can stem from your formative years and are tied to your family, worldview, and lifelong beliefs, these wounds and patterns might feel too big to address alone.

With the help and patience of a mental health professional, you may identify and improve difficulties associated with your family of origin. Consider reaching out to a counselor to get started.

Frequently asked questions

What does it mean when asked about family origin? What are examples of family of origin issues? What is the word family of origin? What is family of origin experiences? How does family impact your life? Why is it important to belong into a family? What is the true meaning of family? Why is it called family? What words describe family? How do you value your family? What is characteristic of a family? Why is the family our first? How do you describe a perfect family? What is the short name for family? What is a family belief?

Survival Guide For Dealing With An Overbearing Mother Medically reviewed by Laura Angers Maddox , NCC, LPC
Birth Order Theory: Insights Into Your Personality Medically reviewed by Karen Foster , LPC
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Family History Essay Examples

Genogram analysis of my family.

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The Role of Media and Family Life in Increasing of Violence in Youth

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Ersan İlyasova's Bio, Career Stats, Family Life & Other Interesting Facts

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