The Role of Our Mother
The Role of Our Mother A typical family in the 1950s/60s. Maybe some of you will picture different kinds of families, but the family I am referring to was known as the ‘Traditional American Family’. In this family dynamic, the father was the natural, necessary and wanted authority. His wife and children loved him and greatly respected him. He worked hard, was strong in stature and merciful but appropriately just. When his children would misbehave, they would be brought to him and he would speak to them kindly and lovingly but would carry out the appropriate punishment to their act. There was no arguing with his final word because that’s what it was - a final word. Despite this necessary role of judge, his children would eagerly await his arrival home each day, would joyfully show him their works from school and seek his approval in all other areas of their lives. His wife would see him pull in the driveway and shout ‘children! Daddy is home!’ and everyone would stop what th...