1. Family
Communication
Collage
Peggy Levy
April 6, 2012

3. My “family” is not my biological
This woman is my mothers best
family, and in fact I have absolutely
friend Michelle. I have known her
no blood relation to anyone except for
since before I was even born. She is
my sister. But I do consider the people
not related to me or my sister in any
who surround me to be my family
way, but I always refer to her as my
because they have been the people
second mother. Because for all of my
who have always been there for me. I
life that is what she has been.
love my family more than anything in
the world.

6. My father passed away when I was 4-years-old, so my mother was a
single mother for most of my life.
“relationships are familial to the extent that relational partners feel and
act like family” (Galvin, Byland and Brommel, 2008, p. 4).
My step father and sister have no blood relationship to me, but I do
consider them my family.

7. Communication in my
family is so important. My
family members live all over
the state of Maine. Because
we are all so busy it’s hard
for us to see each other as
much as we would like.
I would categorize my
family as a enmeshed family
(Galvin, Byland and
Brommel, 2008 p. 31)
My grandmother always
used to say “communication
is key” when dealing with
your family members. She is
the reason we are who we
are today.

8. Family rituals are very important
in my family. When I was
younger
my grandmother used to have all
the holiday dinners at her house.
Since passing, my mother has
taken on that tradition.

9. “Rituals serve as a way to bond
family members of all ages across
generations, providing a sense of
family identity and connection”
(Galvin, Byland and
Brommel, 2008 p. 116)
My mother, sister and I always
travel to Florida once a year.
We’ve done this for the last 20
years. It’s a way for us to bond
with each other and spend
some good quality time with
one another. Honestly, I look
forward to it all year!

10. Joe (step-father)
“Little Peggy” (me)
After my father died I
I provide comedy
was basically forced to
relief for my
grow up and raise my
family. I am
sister. My step-dad filled
always joking
that empty slot when he
around and always
married my mother. He
smiling.
is such a wonderful
person and I do love him
Courtney (sister)
very much. He is such a
My sister is much
strong father figure to
more serious than I
me now.
am. She is always
stressed and
“Big Peggy” (mother) In my house Hannah (step-sister)
worrying about
my mother is the boss, she’s the She provided me with a
something. I call
head honcho. It’s her way or the big sister figure. She is
her Courty-Worry-
highway. I love my mother very everything I am to my
Worty. She doesn’t
much. I wouldn’t trade her for the sister, but to me. I
care for it much
world! couldn’t ask for a better
big sister.

11. Although my step-father is a strong father
figure in my life…nothing can replace my
real father. I love my father very much and
will never stop. When I was little he
passed away suddenly of a heart attack.
My mom and I were absolutely
devastated. We really weren’t sure what
was going to happen without him.
I was basically forced to step up and help
raise my 2-year-old sister. Although this
family tragedy hurt my family, it also
made us stronger. We had to stick together
and we did. My mother, sister and I have
an amazingly strong bond and always will
have that.
“I’ll love you forever” is something we say
to each other now because my father used
to say it to us. It’s also my tattoo.

12. My family is no exception to the fact that we fight sometimes. I think that
conflict in the family or in any situation is only natural and sometimes it just
has to happen. When one family member in my family is fighting, everyone
knows it, and everyone is affected by it. “Because of family member’s
interdependent , a conflict between two members of the family will affect
other members” (Galvin, Byland and Brommel, 2008 p. 219
This is Thanksgiving a few years
ago, I was very mad at Courtney.

13. Throughout this semester and
taking this class I have learned a
lot about not only myself, but
about how my family works and
functions. I love my family very
much, and although we may
occasionally bump heads, at the
end of the day they are my best
friends.