An extended family is ... A nuclear and extended family

Today, an extended family is a habitual norm, especially in large cities. Part of the reason for this is the high cost of housing, which causes relatives to live under one roof for a long time. What can lead to such cohabitation and how can it affect the relationships of close people?

To answer this question, first you need to understand what a nuclear and extended family is. It's the only way to see the pros and cons that exist in this type of relationship.

Extended family: definition

So, a nuclear family is a social group consisting of one couple and their own children. However, depending on its composition, it can be either complete or incomplete (for example, if one of the spouses left home or died).

Consequently, the extended family consists not only of spouses, parents, blood brothers and sisters - there are also other related ties. That is, it is a nuclear family living with other people under one roof.

It should be noted that such relationships are an important topic in sociological research. After all, they give rise to a lot of new questions about how difficult it is for families to coexist under similar conditions. But first things first.

Extended modern family: examples

Well, let's try to understand what relatives can make up a modern extended family. First of all, such ties can connect a married couple with the parents of one of the spouses. Often this happens because young people do not have enough money for their own housing, but they do not want to move to a rented apartment.

Also an extended family is one in which children from previous marriages live with their spouses. At the same time it does not matter whether they were adopted by the new father, or whether they bear the surname of the old one.

Another example of an extended family may be one in which one of the relatives lives together with the grandfather or grandmother, aunt or uncle.

Causes of an extended family

To begin with, it should be noted that there are two main reasons that influence the formation of such "social cells". The first is historical, the second is social. At the same time, they can both closely intertwine and form a symbiosis.

As for historical factors, it should include those canons and customs that have long reigned in some countries. For example, if we talk about India, then there is an extended family - this is the usual norm. In this state, people are used to the fact that several generations of relatives live in one house.

This family structure dominates in many countries of the East, Asia and Latin America, as well as among the majority of tribes living in Africa.

Social reasons for the emergence of extended families

If we talk about Russia, the social side of this issue prevails here. Despite the fact that in the distant past, the Slavs lived in large families, yet the mechanism of communism destroyed this historical norm. Moreover, even after the collapse of the USSR, the opinion of the people on this issue has not changed much. However, over time, there were special social factors that led people to unite in an extended type of family.

In particular, today many relatives are forced to live in the same house due to the fact that they simply do not have money to buy another. This issue is especially acute in large cities, where, because of overpopulation, the price of real estate is rapidly rising up day by day.

Another social factor affecting this situation is moral responsibility. It is she who pushes people to form new groups so that the strong can take care of the weak. As an example, we can cite the situation in which the spouses take one of their parents to their home in order to look after him and, if necessary, to help.

The structure of the extended family

If we consider the relationship in a nuclear family, then everything is quite simple. The undisputed leader is one of the spouses, and everyone obeys him. In an extended family, things are very different. In addition, the more members in a given social group, the more difficult will be their relationship.

However, in such families there is always a clear hierarchy, according to which all household duties will be distributed. But, unlike the eastern countries, in Russia the head of the family is not always the oldest. Moreover, today this role often falls to a woman, as in modern society they are more and more eager for power.

Having a hierarchy in such a family helps to avoid chaos and optimize life in the home. Much worse, if in the extended family, in addition to the main leader, there is also a secondary, wishing to take the lead. In this case, harmony and order in the social group quickly evaporate, which leads to an increase in conflict situations.

Advantages of an extended family

Life in an extended family has its advantages, especially when it is quite large.

First of all, this concerns the financial strength of such a group. After all, the more adults in the house, the higher their joint income: scholarship, salary, pension and so on. Thanks to this, you can improve your diet, housing and appearance. Also, a strong financial flow will allow you to accumulate money more efficiently. That's why people who lead a family business often live under the same roof.

Another plus of this accommodation is mutual support and supervision. For example, a grandmother or grandfather can raise children while their parents are at work. Or, on the contrary, grandchildren can take care of elderly relatives who are no longer able to live independently.

The merits also include the right to inherit property. For example, a house often goes to those relatives who lived in it until the last.

Disadvantages of cohabitation

However, an extended family is not only advantages, but also minuses. However, the latter are much more numerous, especially in terms of their own independence. The more pronounced the individuality of each member of the family, the more often it leads to conflict situations. After all, in such an environment, even an improperly served breakfast can serve as a stimulus to a noisy argument.

Another big drawback is the lack of personal space. The smaller the house in which the family lives, the more difficult it is for its inhabitants to live peacefully. As an example, you can bring the war for a bath, TV, the last portion of pizza or a place by the window.

And one more important nuance: if such living is capable of giving financial stability, then it can also destroy it. After all, it costs a few members of the family to lose their jobs, and this will immediately affect the general well-being and standard of living.

Extended family: a necessity or a new standard?

If we talk about the future of extended families, then in the current trends of the development of society, it most likely will not change. Consequently, most people in Russia will be united in such unions only in order to cope with temporary difficulties.

Otherwise, modern families will strive to provide themselves with a separate housing, let it be too difficult. After all, for Russians freedom and independence are the fundamental factors. So, the nuclear family is the preferred standard of our society and the whole country as a whole.