Abstract: The family is always regarded as the important society constituent and the cells of society, which is an important place for the individual growth and socialization. The harmonious and stable family will directly related to the whole social harmony and stability, thus the importance of family is obvious. The family culture varies with the differences of every country in terms of historical background, traditional culture and value concepts. With the development of globalization and cross-cultural communication, especially American TV series’ prevalence in China, which shows us the real American family life and also affects our family life. This article tries to compare the family cultural differences between China and America and absorb the essence, make it to be the part of our family culture in order to build a more harmonious family life.

Key word: family cultures; family education; family values; life-style; the differences

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. The Differences of Family Education-1

2.1 The Different Roles of Parents-2

2.2 The Different Ways of Education-2

3.The Differences of Family Culture-4

3.1 Differences in the Relationship Between Family Members-4

3.2 The Differences of Marriage-5

3.3 The Differences of Values-8

3.4 The Differences of Life Style-8

3.4.1 Differences in Eating Habits-8

3.4.2 The Differences of Trip Mode-9

3.4.3 The Differences of Accommodation-10

3.4.4 The Differences of Clothing-10

4. Reasons of Differences-11

4.1 In Thought Aspect-11

4.2 In Economy Aspect-12

4.3 In Social Conditions Aspect-12

4.4 In Value Orientations Aspect-13

5. Conclusion-13

References-15

Acknowledgments-16