The Pros And Cons Of A Family

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Over the past generations, humans have been growing, living and associating together portraying themselves as social beings. That is, humans co-exist with one another, requiring each other’s company and assistance to survive. Of all creatures, humans are the most social of all. They have always been living in pairs, groups, and in some places, they live in large communities (Martin, 2009, p. 44). It is as a result of the fact that humans have a high degree of understanding contributed to by the ability to communicate. For many decades, the basic human social setup has always been a family. The family is the smallest unit of an organized social class. Some families may be larger, consisting of up to three generations, whereas others are as small as two members who create the family. Families are well recognized and respected across all cultures (Lupton, 2000b, p. 176) Different cultures have their own ways of forming a family. There are the traditional customary regulations and beliefs that have guided family setups over the years. Then there are the modern legal and religious norms, laws, and regulations that stipulate a family setup. In both conditions, the universal standards and regulations are widely respected and any form of disrespect is highly discouraged and sometimes punishable under pre-determined conditions. In most areas, a family is composed of a man, a woman, and children if any. However, in some circumstances, a family can include some extended relation, often a member with the same biological lineage. The blood relations stem from many generations, which has ensured a steady expansion in the size of families as more generations come into existence. Families have basic guidelines that guide the relationships among i... ... middle of paper ... ...o help make the family dinner better. The parents should not assume that the children would continue observing their regulations. As people grow, they become more independent minded and dictating them might result into disagreements and rebellion (Schaie & Abeles, 2008). The picture portrayed in this family setup is mirror of the situations in larger social groups. The power and authority, the discrimination and gender inequality, the division of labor or lack of it all exists in larger social setups. These features come in different forms depending on the cultures, beliefs, and traditions of the people where the social group is based. Social groups shape individual’s ways of life. It affects everyone’s way of life and often passes from one generation to another (Bennett & Watson, 2002, p. 94). They are binding to all and lack of adherence to is a sign of rebellion.

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