We live in an ever-changing world. In my last article I touched upon some of the various ways humanity is evolving. We are becoming more modernized, and more accepting of minority groups. Television shows exist now which explore these various lifestyles. These minority groups are now being documented through all sorts of visual genres, from YouTube videos, to full length films, to reality shows and sitcoms. For those of you who haven’t yet seen "Modern Family," it is definitely worth the watch. This ABC series zooms into the fictional Dunphy family and the hilarious and unconventional dynamic between each of the characters.
Claire and Phil Dunphy raise three children who they desperately try to manage. Each child has their own distinct personality, which both parents are weary of as they struggle and strive to parent them. The oldest daughter, Haley, is growing up way too fast, and her bad judgement is constantly getting her into terrible situations which her supportive family can always seem to get her out of. The middle daughter, Alex, is a perfectionist, who is too intelligent to benefit anyone, including herself, and contrasts with her older sister’s air-headed nature. The youngest sibling and only son, Luke, is completely unlike anyone else in the house and is noted most for his rambunctiousness and relationship with his father, Phil.
The show also features other vital characters related to both Claire, Phil, and their three children. Claire’s father, Jay, is a divorced man remarried to a much younger, sexier, Hispanic woman named Gloria. Gloria is constantly dealing with cultural and language barriers as she attempts to blend in with the other family members. Her son, Manny, is an old soul who admires the arts, but always needs a push to let loose and have fun. Jay’s son and Claire’s brother is a successful homosexual, whose flamboyant partner Cam and him have an adopted daughter from China. The Dunphys, although unorthodox, always manage to come out on the other side of adversity as an even stronger family unit.
Since my legitimate last name is Dunphy, and I am in fact a member of an extremely modern family, I thought it only seemed fit that I give you all some insight to how I’ve dealt with the complications of my own atypical lifestyle.
My parents divorced when I was 13 and my sister was seven. They raised us to be precocious, strong women who acted unapologetically as themselves. I genuinely admire the culture I was exposed to throughout my entire childhood: we weren’t those kids with the latest Barbie Dream House or Air Jordans, but we went to every zoo, museum, park and restaurant there was. My parents valued experience more than material items, which, in hindsight, is something I undoubtedly benefited from.
Today, I live in a home with my sister, my mother and her boyfriend of five years, Steve. Steve has two children of his own—twins Matt and Sara. When we first all started living together we had to learn to compromise. Each of us kids have huge personalities, and finding effective ways to coexist has been a learning process, to say the least. Matt and Sara are freshmen in high school and are in constant athletic and academic competition because of this: real life WWE wrestling matches have become an everyday reality for all of us. And I wish I could say I hated it.
My younger sister Delaney is the epitome of thirteen going on thirty, and is the funniest most egotistical kid I’ve ever met. She seriously thinks she can do no wrong and lets all of us know it whenever she can. She’s frenemies with our step-sister Sara, and is always longing for the recognition of Matt (while Matt adores me for no reason other than the fact I’m a 19 year old girl). It’s safe to say that at dinner time there is neither a lack of stomach aches from laughing nor a lack of knives at risk of being thrown.
My dad lives in Syracuse, New York and is remarried to my stepmom, Karen, who has three children from her previous marriage. Surprisingly the kid I get along with the most is seven-year-old Chloe who attaches herself to me like a leech each time we’re reunited. Carter is a lacrosse loving know it all,who is in the middle, age-wise, of Chloe and his thirteen-year-old sister Caroline, who cannot stand my sister Delaney.
Let me just tell you, you have not experienced pain until you’ve driven eight hours in a car with your dad, stepmom, sister, and three step siblings hollering Christmas carols. Still, I’d be blatantly lying to you if I said my step siblings weren’t the most hilarious, adventurous, and caring kids I’ve ever met—even though they steal my iPhone and put their hockey socks in my face.
Holidays for my family consist of both of my parents, step parents, and all of my siblings in the same house. If we’re lucky my step grandparents and step aunts and uncles might just show up to the function too. And, if that isn’t enough chaos for you, I haven’t yet mentioned that my dad has ten siblings. So at Dunphy family holidays there’s a chance that my 20 first cousins might just be there too.
The Dunphys are some of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met, and I swear I’m not just saying that because we’re all related. We have musically inclined Christopher who makes epic music videos. Matt who is an aspiring autotech engineer and can play four instruments. My cousin Joey is currently interning for NASA and is allegedly designing scissors to be used on Mars (or something?). Maggie just graduated MIT and has a work study at Harvard. Brenna hasn’t gotten below an "A" since probably the first grade. Heck, my baby cousin Chase could complete a hundred piece puzzle at two!
Even with all of this going on, all the potential, the past falling outs we’ve endured, my family is the most important and constant thing I have going on in my life. It’s so much easier to be driven when surrounded by all this intelligence and support. I’ve been completely allowed to be myself from day one because of this blessing of a family. All they ask for in return is love and loyalty, which of course they unconditionally receive, without hesitation.
