As I thought about this month’s tenet, “We greatly value the unique and contributing role of families,” my mind went to the great variety of the makeup of families. It’s very true that families come in all shapes and sizes. In a perfect world, all children would be brought up in loving homes, with two loving and supportive parents. But this isn’t a perfect world, and families – whatever they look like – must adapt and meet the challenges they face. I love that the articles and video for this month touch on aspects of different kinds of families. Pat’s video shares insights about blended families and the challenges and joys that come in that process. Norma and Kaloni each tell of different types of “families” that we can all feel a part of. Michelle talks about the strength we can find when faced with life’s challenges. Shelli illustrates the stages of life that our families go through. And Lyn gives us great examples of the power of sharing family stories.
