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Family structure and importance
INTRODUCTION:
Parents play an important role in the growth and development of children. Parents
influence the behavior of children. A strong relationship between the parents also
plays a role because parents are the role-model for children.
Children living in a healthy environment with supportive parents show better
health, have greater access to health care, and fewer emotional and behavioral
problems than children without parental support.
Family Structure
A family structure is the composition and membership of the family and the
organization and patterning of relationships among individual family members.
Types of families
There are six specific types of family structures identified by society today. The
following types of families exist today, with some families naturally falling into
multiple categories.
There are many types of families for example:
1- Extended family
2- Nuclear family
3-Single Parent Family
4- Step family
5- Military family
6- Migration family
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Extended
Family
Migration
Family
Nuclear
Family
TYPES OF
FAMILIES
Single
Parent
Family
Military
Family
Step
Family
1. Extended Family:
When parents children, grandparents, cousins live together it is called extended
family.
The extended family may live together for many reasons, help raise
children, support for family or help with financial problems. Problems also arise
like financial, ego, share is must. physical abuse is common.
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2. Nuclear Family
A nuclear family consists of a mother, father, and one child, often called the
traditional family. In nuclear family children are brought alone with emotional
support, low stress, and a stable financial conditions. Disadvantage is children live
lonely life as both parent work, disrespect to elders.
3. Single Parent Family
In this family there is only one parent in the
household raising the children. Due to high divorce
rates and adults choosing not to marry, this is currently the fastest growing family.
4. Step family
Over half of all marriages end in divorce, and many of these individuals choose to
get remarried. This creates the stepfamily, which involves two separate families
merging into one new unit. Step families need to learn to work together to run
smoothly. Many issues arise and cause to child emotional or neglect abuse.
5. Military family
The parents who serve in armed forces comes under military families.These
families face many problems in the society. So, military families sometimes need
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more support than civilian ones, there are plenty of organizations ready to provide
this help, and joining in events and associations can provide informal support and
invaluable friendships.
6. Migration family
More and more people are leaving their homes, hoping to find a better place to live
elsewhere. No country is able to cope with an arbitrary number of foreigners. Most
states protect the interests of the native population by means of strict immigration
legislation.
In all these types of families there are solutions and problems If the parent
suffers from emotional and behavioral changes, he is most likely to go through a
phase of depression. During this period he is not able to provide a supportive and
safe environment for his children. Many children around the world go through
physical and emotional torture. The main reason behind this kind of child abuse is
because the parent is mentally upset and most likely consumes alcohol.
Family Responsibilities
In order to overcome all the problems in family parent should follow some
responsibilities towards their children;
1. Help them get organized
3. Teach kids self-care
2.
Prepare them for independence
4. Give kids a role in the family
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Family function and laws:
A functional family is one in which family members fulfill their need. They fulfill
their agreed upon roles and responsibilities. Treat each other with respect and
affection and meet each other’s needs.
There are Six Functions of the Family.
1. Socialization
2. Rules of behavior
3. Patterns of interaction
4. Emotional support
5. Reproductive Function
6. Economic Function
1. Socialization: The process by which children learn to become human and adopt
certain behavior. Children learn from what they see and experience in their
developing years. Since children spend most of their early years only interacting
with their family members, the family has the greatest impact on development of a
child.
2. Rules of behavior: These types of cases show that human interaction is required for
children to acquire human behavior. The family teaches appropriate behavior
what to expect, and how to interact in everyday life. The family plays a major role
in social interaction of a child.
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3. Emotional support: Students from parents that have a loving relationship, and are
supportive, have a more positive self image and are also more confident. Students
from families that have distrust and hostility are more likely to have a negative self
image and emotional problem. Children bought up in a loving and supportive
environment have higher levels of self-confidence, have greater understanding of
relationships and are more mature.
4. Economic Function: Families are the means where by children are supplied with
the necessities – food, shelter and clothing. Family provides the basic necessities for
the child. Nowadays children are dependent on their family until high school and for
education.
5. Reproductive Function:
 The family is responsible for raising children to become contributing members of
society.
 In many advanced countries, families are choosing to have fewer children.
 Birth control methods are rapidly growing from the 1970s
 There will be greater demand for healthcares since most people will be older.
6. Patterns of interaction: Studies also show that children that have been deprived of
close family relationships which lead to emotional problems as adults. This forms
of a cycle as these adults may have trouble meeting the emotional needs of their
future families. If a child does not live in a happy and secure environment
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surrounded by his family he is most likely to suffer from emotional problems like
depression. Some children also experience child abuse.
Family law
Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related matters and
domestic relations, including;

marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;

adoption and surrogacy

child abuse and child abduction

the termination of relationships and ancillary matters, including divorce,
annulment, property settlements, alimony, child custody and visitation, child
support and alimony awards.

juvenile adjudication

paternity testing and paternity fraud
This list is not exhaustive and varies depending on jurisdiction. In many
jurisdictions in the United States, the family courts see the most crowded dockets.
Litigants representative of all social and economic classes are parties within the
system.
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Conclusion:
A family plays a key role in helping the individual to learn social behavior. It helps
in binding the individual to the society. All the types of families play a very
important role in upbringing of family. It moulds the individual to face the
obstacles and teaches the value of relationships. A family proves to be a circle of
strength, founded on faith and joined by love. A happy family plays a major role in
molding the individual into a responsible and a better person.
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Reference
http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/familyextended.htm
http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/kbmact/six_functions_of_the_family.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_law
http://extension.missouri.edu/BSF/strengths/index.htm
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