http://family.lovetoknow.

com/definition-nuclear-family
Definition of a Nuclear Family

The traditional definition of a nuclear family is a family unit that

includes two married parents of opposite genders and their
biological or adopted children living in the same residence. However,
the term "nuclear family" can mean several different things in
today's society. Understanding the classic roles in this type of family
and how it is defined can help you understand the relationships in
your own family, whether it's nuclear or not.
History of the Nuclear Family
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term "nuclear family" was first used in 1947, but the concept of a
family that consists of just parents and children is much older. This basic unit of a family's structure has existed for
millennia, but it wasn't until the 1960s and 1970s that the nuclear family became the majority situation. At that time,
industrial economic booms and rising wages made it possible for young parents to afford their own homes without
living with extended family members. At the same time, better healthcare contributed to the nuclear family, as elderly
members became more self-sufficient and independent for decades after their children were grown.
Today, the era of the nuclear family is often glamorized, complete with mom in the kitchen, dad out earning the pay
checks, and the kids building a tree house or hosting a stuffed animal tea party. In reality, there is no ideal type of
family, and today's definition of a nuclear family can greatly differ from shat it was a few decades ago.

Who Is Part of a Nuclear Family

A nuclear family, also called a conjugal, elementary, or traditional family, typically consists of two married or legallybound parents and their biological or adopted children all living in the same residence and sharing the values, duties,
and responsibilities of the family unit. There can be any number of children in the family, and one or both parents may
work outside the home.
There are pros and cons to the small, nuclear family.
Pros:

Family members develop greater self-sufficiency and independence

Family members share the strongest bonds with their immediate relatives

Less conflict of family values across different generations.

Cons:

Less support emotionally or financially for individual family members

Less contact with extended family members may result in lost traditions or poor communication

Smaller families may be less resilient in emergencies due to a smaller support structure

Each family adapts according to its size and needs, and just because a family may be defined as nuclear does not
mean there are no strong bonds with extended family members. How each family encourages family values and
connections varies, and there is no right or wrong family style.

Changing Definition of Nuclear Families

The nuclear family today may be in the minority considering the increasing diversity of Western societies. While the
classic definition of a nuclear family may only include two parents of opposite genders, today's definition often includes
two-parent families with same sex parents raising the biological children of one parent or the children that both have
adopted. Other types of families, such as single parents, non-married parents, foster families, blended families, and
couples without children are on the rise, and the traditional nuclear family, while still strong, is increasingly in the
minority.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_family
A nuclear family or elementary family is a family group consisting of a pair of adults and their children.[1] This is in contrast to a single-parent family, to the
larger extended family, and to a family with more than two parents. Nuclear families typically centre on a married couple; [1] the nuclear family may have any number of
children. There are differences in definition among observers; some definitions allow only biological children that are full-blood siblings, [2]while others allow for a stepparent
and any mix of dependent children including stepchildren and adopted children. [3][4]

Family structures of one married couple and their children were present in Western Europe and New England in the 17th century, influenced by church and theocratic
governments.[5] With the emergence of proto-industrialization and early capitalism, the nuclear family became a financially viable social unit. [6] The term nuclear family first
appeared in the early twentieth century. Alternative definitions have evolved to include family units headed by same-sex parents,[1]and perhaps additional adult relatives
who take on a cohabiting parental role;[7] in this latter case it also receives the name of conjugal family.[1]

The concept that a narrowly defined nuclear family is central to stability in modern society has been promoted byfamilialists who are social conservatives in the United
States, and has been challenged as historically and sociologically inadequate to describe the complexity of actual family relations. [8]

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nuclear_family
The term nuclear family refers to the family group consisting of parents and children, as opposed to the extended family which includes all those with kinship ties. Throughout history,
families have been central tohuman society, the basic social unit for the expression of love between man and woman and the creation and raising of children. Although the twentieth
century saw the decline in strength and numbers of the nuclear family, it has also been noted that there was never an age in history when the ideal family existed. As we move forward
into an age in which barriers are broken down and we come to live together as one human family, the essential nature of individual families is key to harmonious human societies. The
three-generational family, including grandparents in addition to parents and children, provides the greatest support for the raising of children and continuation of the lineage.

http://medind.nic.in/jak/t08/s1/jakt08s1p74.pdf

Conclusion
Due to the western impact over contemporary Indian social system, tremendous changes
affected every walk of life. These changes have influenced the society not only overtly but
also have provided alternatives to the existing values and ideas towards the different aspect of
society and human behaviour. But on the other hand, it is also equally true that Indian
traditions are so deeply rooted that these alternatives have been succeeded in total
transformation of the society. This finding suggests that value play a vital role in development
of the human beings. All the human functions are governed by the individual & collective
values. This study provides for an understanding of the changing conditions of Indian family
and the social and family values that exist in contemporary Indian society. However, further
research is needed to study the relationships of several changes and attitudes that are taking
place in society and its impact on family structure and development.

What are the advantages of a nuclear family?

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071119232430AA864bz
Advantages of a nuclear family are:
1.) Stability. A child raised by the same two parents during their maturing years is more likely to have emotional bonding and relationship stability. Children raised by a
single parent will likely have a sense of loss for the missing parent and lack the advantage of duel insights, emotional support and examples that come from having both a
mother and a father.
2.) Legacy. A nuclear family of a husband and wife provides a life long consistancy of purpose and usually includes a much larger extended family that a child can use for
positive examples: Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, Cousins. The children can feel a part of a larger whole, especially when included in traditional gatherings that include
all of the above. Even without the living presence of Grandparents, children will learn from stories of the past which can provide guidance to their present, or add a sense
of cause and effect with which to view their parents behaviors and inclinations and learn of a source of their own physical inheritance, such as hair color or height.
3.) Moral coding. A child gets a better sense with both a mother and a father of what is acceptable behavior and what is not, especially when both parents are involved in
the nurturing of the child. Agreement adds authority to prinicples.
4.) Skill building. When a child is a member of a nuclear family, the child will often receive more extensive life skills training as a result. For example, a mother is more
likely to teach relationship skills, such as how to get along with others and emotional response skills while a father is more likely to challenge a child to develop sports or
handiwork skills, such as how to hit a baseball or how to fix things, and how to relate to the outside world such as employment skills or driving skills.
5.) Shared Responsibility. Having two parents allows for a more balanced load of nurturing the children, sometimes giving one parent time to observe other demands or
getting a rest while the other works or plays with the children. Children in a nuclear family will develop joint responsibilities usually in an age or gender expected order,
such as an older brother protecting a younger sister. By being members of a nuclear family, these roles are usually transferred more by example and expectation than by
formal instruction.
6.) Mutual support. A nuclear family will have more emotional and physical resources with which to support the whole, and children learn to aid the building of the family
through observation and example of their parents, thus providing a possible support feedback when the children are able to help when one or both parents are unable to
provide for their own needs due to aging or when impairments occur.

http://www.ask.com/family/advantages-nuclear-families-8a8028ae7562b837#full-answer

Q:
What are the advantages of nuclear families?
A:
The advantages of nuclear families include financial stability, consistency in raising children, strong support systems and emotional bonding,
according to Education Portal. A nuclear family is composed of immediate family members: father, mother and their children.

http://ranmanuel.blogspot.in/2012/10/nuclear-family-advantages-and.html
Nuclear Family: Advantages and Disadvantages
A nuclear family is defined as a family unit consisting of a mother and father and their children. Generally, it is believed that it
is the ideal arrangement to raise a family where the father is the one who provides the needs of the families with the income he
receives from work, the one who serves as the family disciplinary model and the one who insures the protection of his family
while, on the other hand, the mother is the one who is in-charge with the household.
In the past decades, nuclear families have gone through major changes in their structure caused by divorce leading to singleparent families, remarriages, and resulted in extended families. These changes and the problems which they may cause,
especially for the children, has brought the advantages of nuclear families back into focus.

An article I found from the Buzzle called Advantages of the Traditional Nuclear Family talks about traditional nuclear family. In
this article, Rita Putatunda provides us six (6) advantages that a person may have from living in a nuclear family. These
advantages are as follows:
Stable Environment

Behavioral Stability

Sense of Consistency

Learning Skills

Sharing Responsibility

Physical and Emotional Support

If there are advantages, of course, disadvantages will always be present although these disadvantages are only few. As I was
looking for disadvantages of a nuclear family, I came across with an article written by Michelle Blessings entitled Pros and Cons
of a Nuclear family from LoveToKnow. This article also provides advantages and disadvantages in her article. These
disadvantages are:
Isolation

Burnout

Less conflict resolution skills

http://family.lovetoknow.com/advantages-disadvantages-nuclear-family

Advantages
Strength and Stability
Two parent families, whether married or not, tend to be more stable than a single parent or multi-generational family.
Spouses or partners can role model a loving, caring and supportive relationship for their children. This will translate
into future success by teaching children how to seek out positive relationships and interact well with others. Children
will also benefit from watching partners work together to solve problems, delegate household responsibilities and
support one another through positive and negative issues.

Financial Stability Equals More Opportunity

Many nuclear families have enough economic stability to provide children with luxuries and opportunities in life.
Children may be able to attend dance, gymnastics, music or other types of classes, especially both partners work
outside the home. Children who are provided with these types of opportunities are more likely do better academically
and socially, as well as develop confidence and time management skills.

Consistency Means Behaviour Successes

The nuclear family can provide children with consistency, in addition to stability. Children who have both stability and
consistency in their lives are more likely to behave positively, do better in school and become more involved in
community and extracurricular activities. The nuclear family may eat dinner together on a regular basis, go to church
and take family vacations, further strengthening relationships and building a solid foundation for future life goals.

http://astrologer-astrology.com/various_reasons_of_divorce.htm
Reason of increasing divorce in India -1: - Women becoming financially independent
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India - 2: - (Interference of parents of the girl in her
married life)
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India - 3: - (Marriage against the wishes of man or
woman)
.

Reason of increasing divorce in India - 4: - (Mother-in-law & daughter-in-law conflict

or conventional 'Saas-Bahu conflict')
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India - 5: - (Misuse of IPC 498-A)
Reason of increasing divorce in India - 6: - (Conspiracy against boy & his family)
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India or World - 7: - (Sluggish sex life)
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India or World - 8: - (Fun loving generation)
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India or World - 9: - (Adultery)
.
Reason of increasing divorce in India or World - 10: (Misconception that second or third marriage would bring more happiness in life)
/.
/ .
, , .
, / .
, .
.
.
, .
http://asianetindia.com/10-major-reasons-divorce/
Some people marry each other, divorce and then re-marry. This sounds ridiculous but it happens and in most of the cases marriage ends in divorce, never to come
together again. Most people try to linger on to their marriage. They do not know when to divorce. Let us try to understand the reasons why people want to divorce.
Some frequently cited reasons for divorce:

1. Lack of commitment towards marriage, sexual incompatibility and infidelity

Commitment may be lacking in one of the partners because marriage happens not always out of love. It could be seen as making a good deal and when it is found that
the deal is not what he or she expected divorce happens. Besides, people looking for quick solutions cannot sustain marriage for long.

Philandering habits die hard and this leads to infidelity. People with uncontrollable libido or unhappy with his or her partner cannot be loyal to their partners. So when the
wife or husband comes to know of his or her partner cheating on him or her divorce turns out to be the answer. The question that arises is when to divorce.

2. Lack of communication between spouses

Without communication no relationship can be effective. Keeping your resentments simmering within, your partner does not come to know what is happening with you and
this is likely to create distance between you and your partner.

3.Abandonment, Alcohol Addiction, Substance Abuse

When one of the partners deserts his or her partner for quite some time or a longer period divorce emerges as the answer. One leaves his or her partner because of the
latters bad habits.

Alcohol addiction and abuse prevent marital bliss because of the change in behavior pattern which makes an adverse impact upon mental peace and physical security.

4. Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse and Emotional Abuse

These abuses are not uncommon and tolerating them is not good and a person who loves himself or herself would not put with such abuses.

5.Inability to manage or resolve conflict

Lack of maturity disables one to manage conflicts and handle personality differences or irreconcilable differences

6.Differences in personal and career goals

People who cohabit before marriage have higher rates of divorce than people who didnt cohabit before marriage because differences become gigantic in course of time.
Initial comfort before marriage was imagined to take things ahead in future but in reality it does not happen.

7. Different expectations about household tasks and financial problems

When expectations do not match it affects relationships most. This leads to personality conflict because none of them are willing to do things or are ready to sacrifice their
time and comfort.

Because what one wants the other to do, the other does not do there is dissatisfaction and frustration. In such instances love becomes sour. This exacerbates with
financial problems because material needs remain unfulfilled and creates discontent in the minds of both the partners as one cannot give and feels humiliated and the
other is frustrated because of long standing inconveniences.

8. Intellectual Incompatibility and Inflexibility

Intellectual incompatibility creates misunderstandings. And the smarter person feels frustrated while the less intelligent partner is mad about not reaching the level of
intelligence of the other and makes life miserable for himself or herself and for the others also.

9. Mental Instability or Mental Illness

Insanity does not allow space for normal communication.

10. Religious beliefs, cultural and lifestyle differences

Cultural values clash unless we are highly adaptive in nature. Orthodoxy leads to intolerance and conservatism gags the spontaneity of life. So this leads to divorce after
some time of marriage

When a person has a valid reason to divorce, he or she knows when to divorce. After all, there is no point in hanging on to a person. One should take appropriate action
and break-off the relationship.

http://www.slideshare.net/sammerhayat/sammer-roll-6 (this is regarding for old

age homes)
http://www.merinews.com/article/old-age-homes-boon-or-bane-for-theelderly/146675.shtml (this is regarding for old age homes)

http://old.nios.ac.in/SecHmscicour/english/LESSON16.pdf
The Family
Introduction When we look around us at home, we find we are surrounded by
members of our family. We treasure their love and affection. We know that
whenever we need anything we can ask our parents, we can go to our
grandparents when we want to hear stories. Mother is always ready with a hot
and tasty meal for us. In short, almost all our needs are fulfilled within the family
itself. However, let us ask ourselves some basic questions. What is a family? Who
are the persons who constitute a family? What are the functions of a family?
What are the common types of families in India? How can we maintain cordial
relations within our families?
Objectives
After reading this lesson, you will be able to:
1 describe the term family and explain the role of a family;
2 identify different types of families;
3 explain the reasons for the changing structure of the family;
4 list ways by which relationships within a family can be improved;
5 relate increasing population to the strain on available resources;
16.3 What is a Family?
Family is universal and typically consists of a married man and woman, and their
children. Take a look around. You will find that people do not live by themselves.
They live in families. Even you live in a family. And it is not just in India that we
live in families. This is the case everywhere. The fact is that family is universal. In
other words, it is found in all societies, all over the world. You must have noticed
the word married in the definition given above. Family implies marriage of the
couple. Marriage provides legitimacy to the relationship between the husband
and wife, and the children born as a result of it. Family also implies common
residence for all its members. In other words, all family members live together in
the same house. But you may also have seen that sometimes the father lives
away from the family because of his job, which may be in another city. In such
cases, even though the husband does not stay in the same house as the rest of
the family, he is still considered a part of the family. Family consists not only of
the married couple but also their children, both natural (born to that couple) and
adopted (those that have been legally adopted by that couple).
Functions of the Family
Let us now see what different functions a family performs.

1. Protection
At birth, the young child is totally dependent upon adults for all its
needs. Survival would be difficult without adequate care given by
the family members. In fact, the family looks after not only the
children but all the other members too. Caring for and giving
protection to the children, the sick and the old is an important
function of the family.
2 Emotional bonding:
The affection and love received from parents and other family
members is essential for the proper development of children. The
emotional bonding which close family ties give, make children feel
wanted and loved. They grow up to be better adjusted adults than
those who have not felt close family ties.
3 Education:
The family is the first school of a child- where the dos and donts of
society are learnt. Learning how to interact with others, learning to
respect and obey elders, learning to be honest, etc., starts at home.
The traditional skills are also learnt at home and the child is
prepared for future roles and career by the family.
4 Financial security:
The family acts as a provider for all its members. It provides the
food, the shelter and the clothes that everyone needs. Other
requirements of the family members are also fulfilled. The work in
the family is divided among all the members. Different members
perform different tasks. Some earn, some perform the household
tasks. Take a look at your own family and make a list of all the
things that each person in your family does. You will notice that
through this division of labour, all the work gets done, and the basic
needs of everyone are fulfilled.
5

Recreation:
Family members act as companions to one another. There is always
someone to play with or talk to. Also, celebration of festivals and
events in the family like birth or marriage, etc., provide recreation
to members.
In short, we can say that the functions of a family are to:
1 give protection
2 provide emotional bonding
3 educate the members
4 provide financial security
act as source of recreation
Types of Family
We generally see two types of families in India - the nuclear and
the joint family.
The nuclear family:
The nuclear family generally consists of a married man and woman
and their unmarried children. In some cases, however, one or more
additional persons may be living with them, for example, the
fathers unmarried or widowed sister.

The joint family:

The traditional joint family consists of a man, his wife, his unmarried
daughters, his sons and their wives and children. If the grandsons
are married, then their wives and children are also a part of the
same joint family. You will notice that a joint family is made up of a
number of nuclear families living together under the same roof.
They share a common kitchen and hold common property. The
oldest male member is generally the head of the family and the
decision-maker for the family. But the women also play a significant
role in decision making as they influence the male members to a
large extent.