What are "Traditional" family values?

After yesterday's post, I received a little negative feedback. I need to clarify that I have no problem with "traditional" family values. My mistake was using that particular terminology, because traditional family values vary by family.

Webster's tells me a tradition is the passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation. They are customs and usages viewed as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present. These customs or usages vary by family, so what is one family's traditions may not be the same as another's.

Until recently, the Baby Boomer demographic was the largest generation of people, so obviously they set a body of precedents that influence the present. There is no doubt. Having said that, I don't think anyone can claim what a traditional family value is because different families and generations have different traditions.

In case anyone is wondering, Webster's defines a value as a principle or standard that is considered important or desirable. What one person considers important may not be the same as another; therefore, there is no set "traditional" family values.

Personally, I have tradition of watching or recording "The Young and the Restless. That is a tradition for me that was passed down years ago by my Aunt Cindy, who doesn't even watch it anymore, but that's a story for another day.

I won't lie and say it's a family tradition at my house, but it is for me. My husband watches all Penn States' football games. That's one of his traditions. These behaviors are not reciprocal, but we understand what is important to each other. More importantly, we respect each other's idiosyncrasies. We may not understand them, but out of love we each respect them. Obviously, I'm somewhat speaking in jest, but not entirely. What is valuable to one person is not the same to the next.

Back to the meat and potatoes of the matter, my reader was generalizing family values. The word this person used was conservative. Back to my trusty old Webster's dictionary, I learn conserve means to protect from loss or harm. Most families want to protect their traditions, but most likely their family may have different traditions than yours.

For instance, in Virginia, I had a neighbor from Qatar, who had a beautiful relaxing song come on five times a day. I learned it was the adhan, which is the Muslim call to prayer. The tradition in their house was to pray five times a day. That's how they "conserved" their family traditions. I didn't have the beautiful song in my house. It would have overpowered Michael Damien's singing on Y&R, but I respected that was important to her and her family. Listening to the call to prayer daily was one of her families' values.

There was another neighbor who meditated every morning on his deck. When I learned our obnoxious mutt was disturbing him, I tried to keep him inside during that time of day. That was his valued tradition.

Many people attend a form of church or spiritual worship service on Sundays and/or Wednesdays. That is valuable to their family. Most of my Roman Catholic friends abstain from eating pork, beef and poultry on Fridays during the Lenten season. That is a tradition. Many people say grace or a prayer before meals. That is a tradition.

Each family could argue they have "traditional" family values, because they are just that: traditions valuable to them. When mentioning the Baby Boomers demographic, my only point was that up until 2020 it was the largest demographic; therefore, it stands to reason it would have traditions and values indigenous or specific to their particular generation.

Establishing your family traditions should be unique. Don't go by what the previous generation did. I'm aware "The Young and the Restless" didn't come on the air until 1973, so it's alright if it's not important or valuable to you. I get you and I still accept you. Aunt Cindy, you're a whole different story, but I love and respect you too. By no means are you the only one out there who values "General Hospital."

We live in a big world. There's plenty of room for all of our values and traditions.