The meanings given to their family by 6-to 10-year-old children from different social and educational groups and town are provided. A non-structured questionnaire was individually applied to three groups of 15 children each whose parents belonged to a low social and educational group (Ubatuba SP Brazil), high social and educational group (São Paulo SP Brazil) and a mixed group (Franca SP Brazil). Parent furnished the complementary data on family residence and constitution. Interviews were taped and then transcribed. Results were organized by themes: family, father, mother, brother / sister, grandparents. Caring was a general meaning given to the family and to family members. The father was seen as a good chap and a companion only by the children of the high social and educational group. Grandparents were positively portrayed by all the children. Brothers and sisters were very present in the family and highly significant to all members.
Family; children; environment
