Family values vary for each family. They are a set of guidelines that may be spoken or unspoken in a family. They help determine the morals of the family members. Some common family values include graduating from high school, showing respect in the home, honoring your marriage vows, and using reasonable discipline methods.

The values a family has will depend on the dynamics of the family. It will also depend on education, culture, and the society the family lives in. Political issues may play a role in family values as well. Issues such as which political party to belong to and views on abortion and homosexuals can all stem from family values. Religious preference is likely determined under your family values. The family values will be different for each family as well as for each generation.

It is not uncommon for family values to change as society changes. For example, a family may change their view of women in the workplace as more women head that direction. They may also change their view on divorce if the marriage has become too dangerous for the family to stay in.

As you grow up, you become more aware of the values in your family. It can be a clash of wills when your own beliefs don’t compare with those of your family. For example, some family values include the belief that women should not work outside of the home. For some girls who have the ambition of pursing a career, this is not a value they wish to share in. They will then have to struggle with the decision to honor the family value or to pursue their own values in that department.

Family values are different for everyone and for every family. There is no right or wrong values to instill in your own family. The media often portrays family values in older shows including the Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver. Times have changed. Our culture began looking at families on Roseanne and Married with Children as family values. However, many viewers saw those families as dysfunctional without any values at all. The reasoning behind family values is to provide our family with a solid foundation that they can build in with their experiences in life and in society.