Today, an extended family is a common norm, especially in big cities. Part of the reason for this is the high cost of housing, which makes relatives live for a long time under one roof. What can such cohabitation lead to and how can it affect the relationships of loved ones?
To answer this question, first you need to understand what is a nuclear and extended family. After all, the only way to see those pros and cons that exist in this type of relationship.
Extended family: definition
So, the nuclear family is a social group consisting of one married couple and their own children. Moreover, depending on its composition, it can be either complete or incomplete (for example, if one of the spouses left home or died).
Consequently, an extended family consists not only of spouses, parents, blood brothers and sisters - there are also other family ties here. 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 the research of sociologists. After all, they raise a lot of new questions regarding how difficult it is for families to coexist in such conditions. But first things first.
Extended modern family: examples
Well, let's try to figure out which relatives can make up a modern extended family. First of all, such bonds can connect a married couple with the parents of one of the spouses. Often this happens due to the fact that the young people do not have enough money for their own housing, but at the same time they do not want to move to a rented apartment.
An extended family is also one in which children from previous marriages live with spouses. At the same time, it does not matter at all whether they were adopted by the new father, or whether they bear the name of the old.
Another example of an extended family may be one in which one of the relatives lives with 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 "cells of society." The first is historical, the second is social. At the same time, they both can be closely intertwined and form a symbiosis.
As for historical factors, those canons and customs that have long prevailed in some countries should be included here. For example, if we talk about India, then an extended family is a common norm. In this state, people are accustomed to the fact that several generations of relatives live in the same house.
A similar family structure dominates in many countries of the East, Asia and Latin America, as well as among most of the tribes living in Africa.
Social causes of extended families
If we talk about Russia, then the social side of this issue prevails. Despite the fact that in the distant past, the Slavs lived in large families, nevertheless, the mechanism of communism destroyed this historical norm. Moreover, even after the collapse of the USSR, people's opinions on this subject did not change much. However, over time, special social factors appeared that made people 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, due to overpopulation, the price of real estate is rapidly flying up day by day.
Another social factor influencing 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. An example is the situation in which spouses take one of their parents to take care of him and, if necessary, help.
Extended family building
If we consider the relationship in the nuclear family, then everything is pretty simple. The undisputed leader is one of the spouses, and everyone obeys him. In an extended family, things are completely different. Moreover, the more members there are in a given social group, the more difficult their relationship will be.
However, in such families there is always a clear hierarchy, according to which all household chores will be distributed. But, unlike the eastern countries, in Russia the head of the family does not always become the oldest. Moreover, today this role is quite often given to a woman, since in modern society they are increasingly striving for power.
The presence of a hierarchy in such a family avoids chaos and optimizes life in the house. It is much worse if in an extended family, in addition to the main leader, there is also a minor who wants to take the championship. In this case, harmony and order in a social group quickly disappear, which leads to an increase in conflict situations.
Benefits 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 more efficient accumulation of money. That is why people running a family business often live under the same roof.
Another advantage of such a residence is mutual support and supervision. For example, grandparents can raise children while their parents are at work. Or, conversely, grandchildren can look after elderly relatives who are no longer able to live independently.
The merits also include the right to inherit property. For example, the house often goes to those relatives who until recently lived in it.
Disadvantages of sharing
However, an extended family is not only a plus, but also a minus. At the same time, the latter are much larger, especially in terms of their own independence. The brighter the individuality of each family member is expressed, the more often this leads to conflict situations. Indeed, in such an atmosphere, even an incorrectly served breakfast can serve as an impetus 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 get along peacefully in it. Examples include bathing wars, a television, the last pizza, or a window seat.
And one more important nuance: if such a residence is able to give financial stability, then it can also destroy it. After all, it costs several family members to lose their jobs, and this will immediately affect the general wealth and standard of living.
