So, given these comments from Tom's original post, here are my thoughts:
"...a team is a wholly inter-dependent collection of people put together for the express purpose of accomplishing a task. The individuals are responsible to the team and the team is responsible to the individual. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Since I believe my family DOES have a task, everything in this statement applies to my family.
"...the purpose of a team is not about equality or sharing the work load/responsibility, it is about accomplishing tasks within the parameters of uncompromisable values."
This also applies to my family. And there was also a statement about mentoring those who have weaknesses. We all learn from each other. But because we have a goal and a plan, we help each other overcome trials and be better individuals.
And it's a faith thing, I guess, but I believe that it's possible that we could have, at some point in time, picked members of our family. Even if WE didn't - and again, this is a faith issue - a power who KNEW each of us picked for us those that would best work together.
I understand that there are a lot of families that fail. But I don't believe that they fail because of outside forces. They fail because an individual or individuals didn't do their part, and the team failed to function as a team.
And as for challenging authority, I think it's important to clarify just what that means. If I tell my child they can't stick their finger in the electrical socket, they WILL listen to me, or they will be punished. But if they disagree with me, and they have a good argument, they can argue, and I CAN change my mind. But if they don't have a good argument, then I will tell them, "Go think about it some more, and when you have a better argument, come back and talk to me. Otherwise, this is what's happening." But I need to clarify that this only applies to when the parents (dh & I) have made a decision for the whole. We try to include everyone when the decision can reasonably be made as a team.
I think whether or not to classify the family as a team really comes down to beliefs and what you have planned for your family. And if you don't have long term goals for your family, you need to make them. Otherwise, what's governing how you function together?