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Alexis Majewski
Sociology 101
Fr. Blake
November 11, 2025
Imagining My Future Family: Sociology Extra Credit Paper
As I imagine my future life and family, I picture myself with a husband and children.
However, I recognize the extensive freedoms granted to women in the United Sates regarding
choice in a partner and child rearing, so I will refuse to marry or have children solely out of
necessity to maintain a set of cultural standards. This is a freedom that many women do not
experience globally, but I am fortunate enough to, given my country of residence and my own
family’s cultural expectations. I believe strongly in monogamous relationships, which aligns well
with traditional American values, but strays from the trending “casual” nature of many newer
relationships. I also plan to marry for love, and if such love does not find me, I will not marry at
all. This idea is made possible by my family’s promotion of marrying for love. Culturally, I do
not experience the pressures of arranged marriage, and I do not have my parents dictating my
relationships beyond their opinions regarding the partner I chose of my own free will.
I want my marriage to be an example for my children – something I lacked in my
upbringing, coming from a household of divorce. I understand firsthand the strain and distress a
divorce can cause children, and I do not wish to bring this burden upon children of my own.
Although extenuating circumstances exist that may make divorce the best answer, couples have a
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responsibility to consider the strength and stability of their relationship before even considering
bringing a child into this world. According to the class lecture, romantic love often fades over
time. As a result, the most important aspect of a long-term partnership is friendship. This way,
even if romance fades over time, your relationship is still rooted in the strong bond of friendship.
We also addressed the concept of “latch key kids” in class, which is something I did not
experience as a child, and would like to avoid for my children as well. I do not think women
being expected to give up their careers with the arrival of children should be the status quo. I
plan to attend medical school and so does my partner. When you invest that much time and
money in your schooling, I do not think it is realistic to expect someone to give it up entirely.
However, as I look at potential subspecialties within the medical field, I am considering careers
with the best work-life balance. I do envision my household having two working parents, but I
want my children to regularly come home to a parental presence. This means variations in
scheduling that allow someone to regularly be present for children, while still maintaining both
parent’s careers.
With medical school being my goal, I will be in school until about the age of thirty.
Medical school and residency are very physically and mentally tasking, which makes me think it
would be best to have children after this time. This extended academic journey means planning
for later marriage and child rearing due to professional demands, matching growing trends of
having children later in life. With a more mature start age for having children, the number of
children I and others in similar positions will have is likely reduced, corresponding to the less
than 2 children per household, based on the national average. However, I am incredibly open to
the prospect of adoption or becoming a foster parent, meaning in the end, my household could
easily fall above the national average of children. Since my father and I are not biologically
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related, I have long been a proponent of the concept that families are not defined by blood. As we
have discussed in class, “family” is a social construct, of which the definition varies depending
on whom you are speaking to. To me, “family” is solely based on those you feel deeply
connected to – those who you would go to battle for and that would so the same for you. My
concept of “family” aligns with the prosect of adoption or fostering, because I would view any
child – whether I birthed them myself or were lucky enough to become their parent later – as my
child.
In conclusion, my long-term vison for my family aligns mostly with typical American
cultural standards, in terms of marrying for love, two employed parents, and later childrearing. I
may be more traditional in the sense of wanting to maintain a monogamous relationship, while
my views on adoption and women working even after having children may be slightly more
progressive. As explained before, I am grateful for the choice I have about the matter of with
whom and when I choose to start my own family. These choices are important, and being able to
marry your best friend sets you up for much more longitudinal success than being forced into a
marriage, marrying for economic means, or marrying out of fear of not fulfilling cultural
standards.