PEOPLE
8
Number of family members in student’s families at AHS
All in the family
Feb. 5, 2008
5-7
38%
2-4
52%
A
t
7+
10% This survey was taken in B, C and D lunch on Jan. 29. Out of the 400 distributed, 375 were returned completely. Back row, from left to right: Douglas Pollet (father), Nicole Moore, Christina Pollet, Abby Pollet, Brittney Pollet (mother) Front row, from left to right: Isaiah Pollet, Sandi Pollet (step mother), Candice Moore, Mariah Pollet [Nicholas Pollet not pictured]. While two generations of the Pollet family have attended AHS, this is the only Pollet family of this size.
Q: What is a family?
∞ 47%
said that it is a group of people, related by blood or marriage and living in the same residence
∞ 21%
said that it is a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption and living in the same residence
∞ 18%
said that it is a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption and may not be living together
∞ 15%
said that it is a group of of people living under the same roof How important is the role of family in your life?
∞ 47%
said that family is the foundation of their life and they influence most of their decisions in life
∞ 28%
said that family is important, but they do not have much influence in their decisions
∞ 15%
said that family is not important to them. It is just for food and shelter. Source for family definitions: www.dictionary.com
How is your family unique? “I have some Incan, Mayan, Spanish,, and Italian in my family.”
—Jennifer Ibarra junior
“I was adopted when I was six from an orphanage in Latvia. Before my parents had kids, they adopted my brother, sister and me.”
—Alexander Layton senior
“Even though we are spread out, we find ways to keep in touch. I have family all over the world, in Mexico and China.”
Freshman Mariah Pollet’s family falls into the small 9.8% of the American population with five or more family members BY WALIHA GANI People Editor From the depiction of family in The Simpsons to the illustration of a super-family with special powers in the Disney movie The Incredibles, family is embedded in our minds as the backbone of life. Shoes lying on the ground, the unbearable cries of a five year old blaring, and the dog chanting his morning growls, this description most probably does not fit the setting inside the typical American family. Yet for freshman Mariah Pollet, with nine family members in her immediate family, chaos somehow seeks its way into most days. “It’s really chaotic most of the time, especially the mornings. Everyone is running around and no one is in one place,” said Pollet. While two generations of the Pollet family have attended AHS, this is the only Pollet family is the first to be this large. With two biological brothers and sister, two step sisters and one half sister, Mariah’s and Abby’s family falls into the small 9.8% of the American population with five or more family members. With two bathrooms and four bedrooms, how does this family manage? “You have to share a lot. No one can be selfish. Compromises have to be made on nearly everything,” said Pollet’s sister, junior Abby Pollet. After the baby boom of the 1950s, when it was fairly common for women to have four kids on average, the average family sizes have been shrinking. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 28.9% of American families consisted of two members. In 2003, this figure increased to 33.3%. Though the Pollet family is considerably large in its size, the same source of love, security and support is in this family like most families at AHS. In a student survey conducted on Jan. 29, more than half the students, 52%, said their family size consists of two to four members. “Family is my strength and my courage. Family is your heartbeat. When you lose your heartbeat—you become nothing. All that is left is an empty body without a soul and spirit,” junior Khadeja Salem. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, communication is the driving force to healthy, successful families. For Brittney Pollet, Abby and Mariah’s mother, maintaining communication with her nine children is one the most challenging aspects of a large family. “It’s really hard to be a Christian family. I have to make sure everyone keeps their morals and ethics. I have to make sure each child is receiving attention—that no one is failing, everyone is doing their homework,” said Pollet. Some students feel easier to communicate with one parent than the other. “I have a really strong relationship with my mom, but it’s harder to talk to my dad,” said senior Jasmine Windley.
1970
2003
20.9%
26.4%
15.8%
33.3%
17.3%
16.1%
28.9%
14.3% 9.8%
17.1%
source: U.S. Census Bureau Since the 1970ʼs, the average American family size has been dwindling. The number of persons represents the family size and the percentages represent the total American population of that family size in 1970 and 2003.
Dynamics of a family What is your brother diagnosed with? My brother is diagnosed as moderately mentally retarded
sophomore
WALIHA GANI
FromAbu’s illness, do you learn What was your initial about anything else? reaction at finding out that you He teaches me about patience. were adopted? More importantly, he teaches me I was so happy because when that people are different, but it’s she told me, I was in first grade and possible to love each other despite since my real mom always visited our differences. I feel that he’s a me and I was close with her, I was blessing from God. I was recently glad that she was my mother. When watching a show about a boy who you watch movies, you see the evil couldn’t talk and his sister was talkstep mother and I’m just glad that’s ing about how she wonders what not me. I love my aunt and I’m glad he’s thinking about. The doctor was Senior Amber Mccoy was adopted at the age she’ s my mom. talking about how God sends people of one. “My mom and I are just like any other mother-daughter relationship,” said Mccoy. like him on Earth to teach others. What do enjoy doing with your Sophomore Sabrina Hassan describes her Abu teaches me about love, about bebrotherʼs disorder as rewarding. mom the most? ing thankful. Shopping. It’s a common mother-daughter thing and we share our opinions. She tells me what looks good, I tell her what’s nice on her. Shopping also sparks more conversation Have you ever been embarassed? between us too, and it’s an all day thing. I’ve never been embarrassed. I love my brother. People sometimes don’t understand because they expect him to be normal. It’s frustrating to see how people can be ignorant Have you every felt angry or hurt? because they expect him to act normally when he’s not. For me, that’s never been the thing. I’ve never known the circumstance behind why What do you like the most about him? my mom couldn’t raise me and I still don’t. So I’m just happy that I still see my mom and His smile. People always compliment him about his smile and the energy he gives out. talk to her frequently. WALIHA GANI
—Lydia Pion freshman
How would you describe your relationship with your adopted parent? My aunt [biological mom’s sister] and I have a mother-daughter relationship. I call her “mother.”The thing with us is that we try to make it work as much as possible because she’s been there for me. When I think back it, I know she has done so much when she didn’t have to raise me at all.
How would you describe living with a handicapped sibling? It’s challenging at times. He talks a lot and repeats the same thing over. It’s rewarding, too, because he Abu is happy, cheerful and energetic all the time.
“My family has red hair. My brother, mother and I do.”
—Patrick Khoueiry freshman
Number of persons
Sophomore Sabrina Hassan learns value For senior Amber Mccoy, adoption brings of life from handicapped brother her closer to her biological mother
—Juliana Leventhal
“My mom is Muslim and my dad is Christian.”
ForjuniorSumraAhmad’sfamily,religionguidestheroleeachmemberplaysinthefamily. “Islam states the importance of family and family roles. It says “Heaven is beneath the feet of your mother,” junior Sumra Ahmad. “It outlines the role of the mother, father and child.” For the Pollets, even the simplest acts, such as taking a family photo, can become nerve-racking. “Things that most families could do so easily become hard for us because there are so many people. It’s very broken up—kind of like a war—everyone has their opinions and ideas,” said Abby Pollet. Mariah quickly added, “But even then, we have a lot of fun. The craziest things end up being a lot fun.” Most students value and look for love, security, and support in their families, but what does family mean? Traditionally, family meant a mother, a father, and a child living together. Now families are much more dynamic with single parents raising a child or adopting children. For junior Ashley Lawrence, this definition is most fitting to her idea of family for shelter and food is the most fitting definition of family. “They don’t influence any decisions in my life. I make my own because I just don’t agree with anything they say,” said Lawrence. For Mariah, family is everything. “Family will always be there for you, unlike friends. They give you love, protection and security. Having more makes it all the much better,” said Mariah Pollet.