Article Review: Taking the Pulse of Canada’s Families

Family has always been important for Canadian society and for each individual but the changes that have occurred within last decades marked the changes of the family as a social institution. In such a situation the contemporary family and its perception seems to be undergoing some changes that Donna McCloskey, the author of the article “Taking the Pulse of Canada’s Families”, attempts to trace.
The author is particularly concerned about several themes the article is build around. Notably Donna McCloskey attempts to depict the life of a contemporary family and amply compares it with traditional Canadian family from the past. The author is also focused on the problem closely related to family, the problem of marriage as well as she analysis divorce as a negative consequences of a marriage and its impacts. She also analysis the situation within the family, concerning children and parents relations and finally, the author attempts to forecast the future of a Canadian family, or Canadian families since, as it becomes clear a traditional Canadian family cannot remain absolutely unchanged and new types of families may appear.
In fact, it should be noted that the author makes all the themes closely related to one another this is why it is hardly possible to separate them and it would be better to critically evaluate them in complex. Actually what the author says is the fact that Canadian family is changing. The problem is that nowadays a conventional family, which traditionally includes both parents and two or three children, is rather an ideal, which can hardly be achieved. At the same time the attitude of Canadians to family is changing too. Despite the fact that majority of Canadians agree with traditional perception of family the reality reveals that such attitude cannot be realized in practice, in real life situations. The problem is that unlike in the past, in the contemporary society, marriage is not perceived as an essential condition of a happy family life. One of the reasons is widely spread premarital relations.
Furthermore, the problem is that marriage is often postponed and the age when Canadians can start the traditional family life is constantly growing. In other words, Canadians marry later than their parents and grandparents did. In such a situation other notions are getting to be substitutes of a family, for instance friendship.
At the same time, along the late marriages another problem appears, the problem of high rate of divorces, which traumatize all members of the family, both psychologically and financially, and the society at large.
As a result the author suggests that despite the fact that traditional views on a family still remains strong but the situation has changed dramatically and she suggest that in the future it will be necessary to promote the institution of the family as a basis of the society and she suggest societal approach instead of individual one, i.e. she believes that public and state concern should be basically focused on families and not individuals.
Obviously, the author’s argumentation seems to be quite reasonable and well grounded. For instance, the assumption that aging parents will need a lot of attention as well as children is absolutely just. At the same time, it is necessary to realize that the society is changing and the family really needs support from all parts, including state as the author states. On the other hand, it is necessary to start the formation of views on family from as early age as possible in order to convince people in the effectiveness of traditional family and the support, including the support from the part of state is absolutely essential, especially on the early stages, in order to support normal family life. In such a way there will be less late marriages and families could become better and fulfil its functions, including reproductive one. However, the author’s attempts to prevent traditional families from decline seem to be in vain because the rhythm of life, societal changes, economic situation in the country cannot have any effect on the family. Consequently, it is logical to presuppose that the notion of traditional family would become archaic for even nowadays it is rather idealistic that author agrees with. This is why, new family relations would probably be developed.

Bibliography:
1. McCloskey, Donna. Taking the Pulse of Canada’s Families. Retrieved from http://www.vifamily.ca/library/transition/344/344.html