Kevin's World - Family Studies

My family from our wedding day.

As many of you know, I am close to graduating.  This semester, I just need to finish up my senior project and present at the technical open house.  That counts as a three credit class.  However, to qualify for financial aid (Pell grant = free money = happy students) I needed to take an additional three credit hours.  I decided to take an internet class, so that it wouldn't interfere with my work schedule.  The three credit internet class that seemed the easiest was FCS 2400, or Family Studies.  So far, I haven't been disappointed.  With less than an hour a week, I have been doing rather well.  The class has filled all expectations of me getting money from the government while doing the least amount of extra work possible.

As you may have guessed, this is not a really a post about how easy my semester is.  Even though I signed up for the class because it looked easy, I have been rather surprised at how interested I have been in it.  On more than one occasion, I have mentioned the class content to Lisa.  This week especially, when the teacher opened up a discussion on immigration, I was more than happy to put in my two cents' worth.  We have covered information on the changing nature of families, the statistics of family life, and different paradigms for studying families, to name a few of the themes.  So often, discussions about family are framed in a religious or moral context that I have found it interesting discussing these same issues in an academic context.  One assignment included a link to a conservative group dedicated to preserving the traditional family that we were to view and critique, either agreeing or disagreeing with their views.  Critical thinking, after all, is what separates a university education from vocational training.

Who knows, this one class that I took because it looked easy may spark a lifelong interest in families.  ;) After all, many people have successful careers based on interests and talents they didn't know they had until they got into college.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll try out this whole family thing some day and see if it's worth the hype it gets in this class.

But seriously, I am looking forward to starting our family, and this class gives me an opportunity to look at some of the issues facing families in a methodical way.