Growing up, I was surrounded by a relatively large household in which I had first-hand experience with the constant arguments between every member of the family. Although families do consist of attitude, conflict, and being picked on by the older siblings, it also forms you into the person you are. Family plays a big role in the people who influence you and although there are many factors that add to who a person is, having a stable household can significantly change a person.
The way your family treats you and handles situations within the household tends to be the way you go about life. An important example of this would be if your parents avoid conflict and don’t talk about their feelings to you or each other. Then, you may tend to do the same because that’s what you’re used to. Or, if you are open with your family and everyone validates each other no matter the situation, then you will grow up with this habit and reflect it in your life with other people. You form your habits at a young age from the people around you and this is one of the many reasons why stability is so important in your childhood.
Some people look up to celebrities or a teacher, but the first people a child views as role models are their parents. This idea adds onto how a child mimics their parents and creates a mindset on how they should be when they’re older. Looking at this from a more physical rather than mental perspective, if a parent goes to work every day, drops off and picks up their child from school, and makes dinner every night, then a child may mimic this life into the next generation with their own children. On the other hand, if a parent sits at home constantly, prioritizes other things over their child, or has someone else taking care of them, the majority of the time, the child is more likely to grow up closed off and unable to connect with people on a deeper level. Looking at the various ways a person can grow up, live life, and raise a family, makes you think about who you are and why.
Although parents have a great effect on who you are, it’s not the single influence in your life. A person is more than capable of being successful beyond their household. At the end of the day, it depends on who you want to become and whether you want or don’t want to have a household similar to the one you grew up in. Like all obstacles in life, it’s your decision on how to act and what to take away from them. For example, if a friend talks about you behind your back, you could talk about them as well or decide to confront them and move on to find a better friend. Similar to this, if you had a rough childhood you can choose to have a family resembling the one you did, or reflect and realize you want more for yourself and your future family.
In the end, a person decides who they want to be and what kind of life they want. Family contributes to a person’s life in positive and negative ways, and although having a stable household helps prepare a child for the real world, it doesn’t mean that a person will turn out perfect for having a childhood they loved. Having a family they can trust and depend on sets a foundation for a child to build on as they grow up. In life, people make decisions based on their values and goals that can commonly stem from their childhood, in which a loving family would truly come in handy.