Most people have a specific vision of what a normal family system might look like, but as a social service provider I know that a family system is unique to each family. In today's society we see more and more single-parent families leaving the hierarchy to be displaced. A hierarchy is determined and maintained by system rules, boundaries, and interactional patterns (Gehart & Tuttle, 2003). There are many different situations that can shift the hierarchy, such as single-parent homes, cultural differences, and effective parenting. If any of these factors are highlighted, then child abuse and maltreatment may be prevalent in the home. Most people would agree that the ideal family system would look like a two-parent family governing the children. In this particular family the father would be seen as the head of the family and the mother as his partner. For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, its body, and is itself its Savior (Ephesians 5:23, ESV). For some families, like mine, this is very important. Where as in other families, such as single parent homes, this may not be the case as the father is not present in the home. Within these families there should be boundaries, clear relationships between members, which are clear and defined. I feel like if these boundaries aren't clear that's where the confusion comes in. I remember that before I got married and lived with my now husband we often had disagreements about who should do what and when. This caused a lot of stress on our relationship and tended to cause some aggravation. I believed this was because we came from two totally different cultures even though we are both African American. That's when I began to understand the difference... middle of paper......3). I said all this to say that it is important for a family system to be intact and not broken. Cracks within a family system can lead to many problems within families. The most important thing is that I feel that parents don't realize how they can affect their children psychologically, emotionally and physically. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; he is not arrogant or rude. He doesn't insist on his own way; is not irritable or resentful; he does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices with the truth. Love covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV). This passage means that with love in our hearts and lives, our family can and will overcome anything that comes our way. There is nothing too big or bad that our Lord can't handle. Put God first in everything in your life.