''The family, in Ireland as elsewhere, has been identified as 'an important symbol of collective identity, unity and security' (O'Connor, Emergingvoices : Women in contemporary Irish society, 1998, p. Many see it as the “natural” foundation of society. Gender and social class play an important role in shaping family life, both for parents and children. Gender refers to the meanings that arise from sexual classification and the socially constructed experiences and identities that arise from assumed sexual differences (Share, Corcoran, and Conway, 2012, p. 180). and masculine which are continually formed, challenged and modified (O'Connor, Emergingvoices: Women in contemporary Irish Society, 1998). Gender is extremely important in terms of self-definition and experience of family life. Gender are defined by the sociocultural norms of any society. In most societies, family systems are based on gender roles and it is these predefined gender roles that help run the family with limited responsibilities. Any flaw in the aspect of gender roles can affect the smooth running of an easy family life. For children, girls are more likely to experience a lenient or permissive parenting style from both parents, while fathers are more likely to adopt an authoritarian style with boys than with girls. Girls in general tend to be more positive about themselves, although they tend to express their feelings more than boys. The modern social structure considers men and women as equal parents in society, with equal rights, status and responsibilities. In families, people who have observed authoritarian fathers and submissive mothers can expect the same thing when they set up their...... middle of paper ...... think that when reading From this essay, it is understandable that it is not the gender of the parent that shapes the child's development but also the atmosphere that the family creates. Class can determine the life you will live before you are even born, depending on what class your parents belong to. The upper and lower classes have their own advantages and disadvantages in how they shape the family experience. It is difficult to determine whether one class has a better family life than the other, because it may not depend on the class to which it belongs but on the love and tenderness that exudes within the family. Gender and class help shape the experience of family life in extremely powerful ways. The circumstances we are born into shape the person we become. Education is a definitive indicator that an enriched environment determines a healthier family life experience..