Home and Families

Family denotes a domestic group of people, or a number of domestic groups linked through descent (demonstrated or stipulated) from a common ancestor, marriage or adoption. A family may be defined specifically as a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, and co-residence. Although the concept of consanguinity originally referred to relations by blood, many anthropologists argue that the notion of "blood" must be understood metaphorically; some argue that there are many non-Western societies where family is understood through other concepts rather than "blood" A home is a place where a person, family, or group of people live together, usually in a relatively safe and comfortable environment. While a house (or other residential dwelling) is often referred to as a "home," the concept of home is broader than a physical dwelling. Home is often a place of refuge and safety, where worldly cares fade and the things and people that one loves becomes the focus. Many people think of home in terms of where they grew up, and "home" can even be a time rather than a place. The word "home" is also used for various residential institutions which aspire to create a home-like atmosphere, such as where you make ita retirement home, a nursing home, a group home (an orphanage for children, a retirement home for adults, a treatment facility, etc.), a foster home, etc.