To me, my symbol of a family is love with close relationship interacting with one another. I am married with three children and come from a significantly large extended family – with over 20 aunts and uncles, and having nearly 70 first cousins. My mother and one of my two brothers currently live with us. Although this is not common in the United States, this living arrangement is seen through most households in the Philippines. Filipino culture prides itself with the characteristic of close family ties. Prioritizing this aspect of my culture and having my current living arrangement gives me peace of mind and allows me to feel secure knowing there will always be someone at home who can help. My family members help me in taking care of my children, not only for their immediate needs but also instilling in them the right values and morals. I know that if I did not have other family members at home who could help me guide my children while I was either at work or school, it is possible that my children would have some behavior problems while growing up. This family structure has allowed us to …show more content…
Although we might be able to predict what our life outcomes could be based on where we stand within these social structures, it allows us to see the challenges that we might face and be able to overcome them. It was once a weakness for me not to be able to speak up for myself. However, with time and learning how to navigate the different spaces I was in, I have learned to be my own best advocate. I now realize that when I speak up for myself, I speak up for my entire family because everything affects them. Lastly, my family makes me who I am today because of the values and morals that we instill in each