Forms a Family Can Take

Families can take different forms. A Matrifocal family is usually a nuclear household made up of a single parent. This is usually the mother with her children, or it can be an extended family with family of several generations i.e. grandmother, mother and the children living in the same household. As is obvious, such households are highly dominated by women. Such families are consanguineous and links and responsibilities exist for life.

The next form of families is the nuclear family. This is the most common form of families in the United States. It consists normally of parents and their children. With the head of the household being the father; sharing duties with the mother. A variation of this basic family unit is the extended family concept. This is popular in regions where economics decisions are constricting. The extended family is multiple generations of related nuclear families living together. In such cases, when a new family forms, only one of the two has to move and assimilate in the new home. The head of such household is usually the eldest male in the house.

All societies have families; however the expectations and roles of the individual family member can differ based on the culture. The structure too, can show varying orders. What is similar all over the spectrum is that at the minimum a family consists of parents and their children. All members have rights and obligations on other members, which can be different based on the relation. The family provides an environment to allow the children to develop to the point that they can take care of their own selves, which in our cases can be around 18 years.