Family Rules... or is it Roles?

We were talking about how each family has its own rules. Siblings that grow up in the same home tend to have a lot of the same ways of doing things. Take for instance in my home, we were to be very careful who we brought home and when. We were to give our mom at least a few hours heads up before bringing them over. And we were to bring suitable people home. I recall a few times my sisters bringing home some young men that my father was not particularly fond of. My dad would make them very aware that their presents wasn't welcome, all without saying a word... or pulling out a shot gun.

            But the thing is, these aren't just rules in the home. Each person in the family plays a very important role in keeping balance in the family. That's one of the reasons it's so hard to lose a member. My dad in this scenario played the protective father. What would happen if he failed to play his part? What would be different? How would that effect the other players?

            Every family member keeps equilibrium by playing their roles within the family set rules. Where do you feel you stand in your family? What is your role? What happens when you change your role in the family?