This paper discusses the scope of governmental interventions in families through adult education in the context of Turkey's family-focused debates. The central question is to understand how 'family' is constructed in the family life education programme of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. Seven handbooks were chosen from the family education and communication module of the programme. Based on a critical discourse analysis of materials, we examined what textual devices and discursive practices were used to construct 'family' and what gendered messages were presented in the texts and visuals of the materials. This study revealed that the selected materials utilised several instruments to normalise the family as a privileged institution in society. In the texts, a heteronormative discourse with an emphasis on reproductivity was reinforced and no attention has been paid to diverse gender identities and family forms. The study also revealed that women were assigned as the primary care providers in the family. In this regard, it is argued that the lack of progressive or critical approaches to the conceptualisation of family limits the understanding of needs and educational practices available for families.