Jenny Juniora Ajoc September 27, 2021

BSN-IV
Transcultural Nursing SW3

1. How would you classify the decision making in your family - patriarchal, matriarchal, or
egalitarian? Does it vary by what decision has to be made? Are gender roles prescribed in your
family? Who makes the decisions about health and healthcare?
I don’t have any blood relations to the family that I am part of, but I am blessed to say
that I have been in their care ever since I was a child. I would say that the decision making in
this family is matriarchal, and the person that this family looks up to for final decisions is the
daughter of the former matriarch, or the grandmother of the family. Gender roles in the family
also aren’t stereotyped as the women here can lead as well as the men, if not better. The
women in the family are also more hands-on with their children more than the fathers.
Sometimes it varies when decisions have to be made, and fathers usually have the last say in
major decisions per subfamily of the overall family. In terms of decisions about health and
healthcare, we consult a family physician and the mothers usually persuade their husbands
about the best decision to be made.

2. In what food rituals does your family engage? Do you have specific food rituals for holidays?
What would happen if you changed these rituals? Do food patterns change for you by the
season? During the week versus the weekend?
Speaking of food, it is the family’s specialty so I am extremely lucky to eat food that
sometimes can only be found in gourmet restaurants. They are a family of chefs and restaurant
owners, particularly NE bakeshop and restaurants. We mainly stick to traditional Filipino dishes
for everyday and small gatherings, but for special occasions such as birthdays or Christmas, that
is when they whip up the best dishes, sometimes even having a friendly competition among the
chefs of the family. Examples of the special dishes we have are Madam Gay’s Charcuterie board
and her steak that up until this day I still cannot forget the first time I tasted it. Another special
food that I remember from the family is the mango crepe served every Christmas, and baked
cheesy prawns that always raised the elders’ blood pressures.
Food patterns change depending on everyone’s mood, it’s very spontaneous because if
someone wants to try a new recipe or craves something, they just say it and everyone just goes
along with the plan. Sometimes on weekends there are themes for dinner and our range spans
from middle eastern food, Japanese food, Chinese food, American barbeque, etc. The family
appreciates trying new flavors and experimenting with different flavors especially that they are
business or restaurant owners. Again I am very lucky to be part of this family that I get to
appreciate food the way they do.