The chemical family that has elements with 6 valence electrons is the Group 16 or the Oxygen Family, also known as the Chalcogens. The elements in Group 16 include oxygen (O), sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), and polonium (Po).
These elements have six valence electrons because they are in Group 16, which corresponds to the number of electrons in the outermost energy level (valence shell). Oxygen, for example, has an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁴, with six electrons in its outermost shell (2s² 2p⁴), making it a member of the group with 6 valence electrons. The same applies to the other elements in Group 16.
Having six valence electrons allows these elements to form various compounds and engage in chemical reactions. They often gain two electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration, forming compounds with a 2- charge, such as oxide ions (O²⁻), sulfide ions (S²⁻), selenide ions (Se²⁻), and telluride ions (Te²⁻).