The human infant is born helpless. It has the potential for physical and mental development. But it requires years to achieve its maturity. In the case of animals, their young ones are able to take care of themselves shortly after birth. But for human beings, the long period of pregnancy and the prolonged helplessness in infancy and childhood needs a long association of parents. This has resulted in the formation of a family. A family is a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption, constituting a single household; interacting and communicating with each other in their respective social roles as husband and wife, mother and father, son and daughter, brother and sister, and creating and maintaining a common culture. There are certain characteristics that are common to the human family at all times and in all places that differentiate the family from other social groups.

• The family is composed of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption. The bond between husband and wife is that of marriage, and the relationship between parents and children is generally that of blood and sometimes that of adoption.
• The members of the family typically live together under one roof and constitute a single household. Sometimes, as in the past, the household is large consisting of three or four or even five generations. Today the household is small, consisting of the husband and wife with or without one or two children.
• The family is a unity of interacting and intercommunicating persons. They play the roles of husband and wife, father and mother, son and daughter, brother, and sister. These roles are defined by the community.
• The family maintains a common culture-derived mainly from the general culture. Usually, this culture is the outcome of the merging of the two cultures of the husband and wife.

The family systems all over the world are changing today and family relations are becoming weaker and weaker day by day. The influence of the family over the children is weakening due to the great social, political, and economic changes. In the midst of these changes, India still has a time tested heritage of a stable family structure. It is still the basic unit of our society and the medium of cultural transmission. The family still holds its solidarity and plays an important role in the formation of values in our society. In spite of the solidarity in the Indian families, a salient social transformation is taking place in the Indian families also. With the empowerment of women and the women getting more and more educated, the traditional family patterns are gradually disappearing. Modernization has its roots in westernization and it has questioned the traditional family values and structures. Parental influence is also weakening day by day. The religious values present in the family are giving way to secular and pragmatic values.

A. FAMILY PATTERNS

In India, we find three types of family structures that are almost identical to the historical family patterns.

1) JOINT FAMILY

The joint family is almost like a large patriarchal family where three or four generations of parents and offsprings live together. This is mostly seen in rural areas. These families are mostly agricultural families.

Advantages of the Joint Family

On the whole, we can say that the joint family provides an umbrella of support which covers financial loss, social security, and even provides informal counseling.

Disadvantages of the Joint Family

• The joint family assures shelter for the aged and sick, social security for the unemployed, and support for the young couple.
• Children grow up in an atmosphere of security and affection.
• The newly married couple get training in family life and child care.
• The sons get the training from their father, uncle, and grandfather.
• The daughters get it from their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers.
• In a joint family, the wisdom and experience of the elders are shared.
• The joint family has its own codes of behavior and its own values which are transmitted from one generation to the other generation.
• Supreme authority is vested in senior male members and family is bound to go according to his attitudes and efficacy.
• The Head of the family may not be able to adjust to the social changes taking place in society.
• There will be a perpetuation of old customs and values.
• Junior members are not allowed to take up any initiative on their own.
• No freedom is there for family members especially women.

2) NUCLEAR FAMILY

In a nuclear family, the husband and wife live with their children. This is mostly seen in urban areas. Both the husband and wife may be earning members of such families.

Advantages Of The Nuclear Family

Disadvantages Of tHe Nuclear Family 

• Husband and wife enjoy full freedom to act according to their ideas.
• There are more financial security and individual freedom.
• Can adapt to social changes more easily.
• There are more responsibility and initiative for every member.
• No experienced one is there to guide the members of the family.
• The nuclear family lacks in Practical wisdom and emotional security of the Joint family.
• No one is there to look after the children in the absence of parents.
• Children miss the protection and affection of their grandparents.
• Working mothers are forced to leave the children with servants or in daycare centers.
   

3) EXTENDED FAMILY

This is midway between the joint family and the nuclear family.

The husband, wife, and children live with one side of their grandparents.

Advantages Of Extended Family 

Disadvantages Of Extended Family

For growth in marriage, it is desirable that the couple lives on their own. Each system of the family has its own advantages and disadvantages. But if the members are cooperative and have concern for each other, the disadvantages can be reduced to the minimum. The newly married couple who start their family life should have the freedom and initiative of a nuclear family and the emotional security and practical wisdom of a joint family. They should have the feeling of the 'home' where one has full relaxation and recreation and can live without masks.

• This type of family has all the advantages of the joint family and the nuclear family, provided the grandparents do not dominate.
• Children are looked after properly.
• Grandparents also may not feel the loneliness.
• Newlyweds get emotional security and gain from the practical wisdom of their parents.
• If the parents who live with their son/daughter are too dominating, the young couple may lose their freedom and individuality.
• There are chances of problems with in-laws.
   

B. FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY

• The family is the basic unit of society. Today's family faces a lot of problems due to social changes. In spite of the problems in the family, it continues to exist because it meets the needs of children, adults, and society at large.