Stressors and Ways to Cope for a Family

Family Interview

Introduction

For the purpose of this assignment, I selected the "Smith" family, a pseudonym to maintain their confidentiality. The Smith family consists of five members: John (45), the father; Mary (43), the mother; and their three children, Alex (17), Brian (15), and Chloe (12). They live in a suburban area and identify strongly with their Irish-American heritage, emphasizing values such as family solidarity, hard work, and the importance of education. John works as an engineer, and Mary is a part-time librarian, which places them in the middle socioeconomic status (SES). They have been married for 20 years and enjoy spending time together through outdoor activities and family game nights, showcasing their family's strength in bonding and communication.

A. Family Description

The Smiths are a close-knit family who enjoy hiking and visiting historical sites together. Their Irish culture is a significant part of their identity, often celebrated through traditional music, food, and holiday customs. The family values honesty, respect, and supportiveness, which are instilled in the children through daily interactions and conversations.

As an Irish family, the Catholic Church is important in their lives. They have a devotion to St. Patrick and they attend Mass together on Sundays. They also enjoy Irish folk songs and going to concerts together. The kids are active in sports, including hockey, soccer, and softball. The parents are very supportive of their children’s activities and the siblings are as well. Whenever they can, they all attend one another’s sporting events. The parents are eager to see the children succeed in everything they do, and the siblings are as well. There is obvious affection among all the siblings and the parents. Overall, there is a lot of harmony in the family.

B. Stressor (A)

The family experienced a significant stressor two years ago when John was laid off from his job due to company downsizing. This event lasted for about six months before John found a new position. This period was marked by financial strain and uncertainty, affecting every family member's sense of security and well-being.

The loss of income forced the family to reassess their financial priorities and make tangible adjustments to their lifestyle. Conversations around the dining table that were once filled with plans for future hikes and concerts now shifted to discussions about budgeting and managing expenses. The family cut back on non-essential spending, but remained committed to important activities that promoted the children’s development (sports) and family time (music).

The uncertainty of John’s unemployment did bring about a palpable shift in the family atmosphere. The usual sense of harmony was tested as stress and worry crept in. However, the Smiths' deep-seated values of honesty, respect, and supportiveness shone through as they tackled these challenges together, and their devotion to St. Patrick and the communal experience of attending Mass gave them a constant source of solace and strength, and reinforced their bonds during this turbulent time.

C. Resources (B)

During this challenging time, the Smith family utilized various resources to cope with the stressor. Internally, they relied on open communication and mutual support to maintain morale. Socially, they leaned on extended family members and close friends for emotional support and practical assistance, such as meal-sharing and childcare. The community also played a role, with the family taking advantage of local food banks and job search services offered by their church.

The Smiths discovered new, cost-free ways to enjoy their time together, such as exploring local historical sites on foot and engaging more deeply with their community. They did things for their neighbors that they before did not have time to do—like rake lawns, help with little chores, or just visit. These activities not only helped them navigate their financial constraints but also enriched their appreciation for their local heritage and the simple joy of being together. They actually began to see their neighbors as resources in their lives rather than just as people who happened to live near them. They realized they did not need to spend money on cars and gas to go enjoy themselves, because there were many ways to have a simple good time right at home in their own community.

Another big resource was prayer. They prayed a novena to St. Patrick over and over during this time. A novena is a nine-day prayer often to a particular saint asking for that saint’s intercession. They said this prayer to ask St. Patrick to help their dad find a new and even better job than before. They were of course worried but they reaffirmed their faith and trust in God and in St. Patrick during this time, and in the end they were joyed to see their faith and trust rewarded as their dad did indeed get a new and better job. They also prayed a daily litany to St. Joseph and this added to their faith and hope.

D. Perceptions (C)

The Smiths viewed this event as both a challenge and an opportunity for growth. Initially, they felt overwhelmed and anxious about the future. However, their perception shifted over time as they found strength in their unity and resourcefulness. The children, while initially confused and worried, were reassured by their parents' open discussions about the situation and the visible efforts to maintain normalcy. This event helped them to see the importance of resilience and adaptability, values that have since become even more significant to the family.

For example, they all were excited about how their devotion to St. Patrick paid off in the end. Their devotion strengthened their faith overall. They were also really excited about getting to know their neighbors better and do things for the people on their street that they otherwise would never have thought to do. By tightening their financial belts they got to see what it was like simply making do with what one had at hand—and that was making use of time and helping those around them. The kids especially also realized the sacrifices their parents made for them so that they could continue to play sports. They saw this with hockey especially, which is not a cheap sport to play. The parents also appreciated the way others chipped in to help get kids to games, since it was not easy for them to drive long distances to sporting events anymore. They went down to one car as a family, and the kids sometimes hitched rides with team members or family members chipped in and drove the distance so the child could get to a game. Every one in the family really appreciated how kind it was of those to sacrifice their own time or fuel to make things work.

E. Outcome (X)

The outcome of this stressor was ultimately positive for the Smith family. They adapted to the situation by reducing unnecessary expenses, finding creative ways to enjoy time together without spending money, and appreciating the value of their own community and the joy they got simply in being part of that community in a helpful way. John's new job brought greater financial stability and also a renewed sense of gratitude and resilience within the family. They emerged from this experience stronger and more united, with a deeper appreciation for the non-material aspects of their lives.

They also decided to keep up with their prayers. They saw how powerful saying the novena was, so they continue it to this day. They have also made the litany to St. Joseph part of their daily prayer time as well. Today, they make time for prayer in their daily lives in a way they never did before—and even the kids see this as important.

Reflection

Before the interview, I felt anxious about asking personal questions and intruding on the family's privacy. However, the Smiths were open and gracious, making the experience far more comfortable and enriching than I had anticipated. During the interview, I was struck by their resilience and the strength of their familial bonds. It was inspiring to see how they navigated their stressor by leaning on each other and their community. I was genuinely interested in how they came together, supported one another, and thrived in the situation. Whereas others might have cracked under the strain and retreated into themselves, the Smiths thrived and put more faith and trust on God and went out to see what they could do for others during this difficult time for themselves.