LESSON 1: TYPES OF FAMILY STRUCTURES

Family structure has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. There are six specific
types of family structures identified by society today.
The following types of families exist today, with some families naturally falling into
multiple categories. For example, a single parent who lives in a larger, extended family. While
these types of families are distinct in definition, in practice the lines are less clear. As laws and
norms change, so do family structures.

A. Nuclear Family
The nuclear family is the traditional type of family structure. This family type consists of
two parents and children. The nuclear family was long held in esteem by society as being the
ideal in which to raise children. Children in nuclear families receive strength and stability from
the two-parent structure and generally have more opportunities due to the financial ease of two
adults.

B. Single Parent Family

This type of family consists of one parent raising one or more children on his own. This
family may include a single mother with her children, a single dad with his kids, or a single
person with their kids. The single parent family is the biggest change society has seen in terms of
the changes in family structures. One in four children is born to a single mother. Single parent
families are generally close and find ways to work together to solve problems, such as dividing
up household chores. When only one parent is at home, it may be a struggle to find childcare, as
there is only one parent working. This limits income and opportunities in many cases, although
many single parent families have support from relatives and friends.

C. Extended Family
The extended family structure consists of two or more adults who are related, either by
blood or marriage, living in the same home. This family includes many relatives living together
and working toward common goals, such as raising the children and keeping up with the
household duties. Many extended families include cousins, aunts or uncles and grandparents
living together. This type of family structure may form due to financial difficulties or because
older relatives are unable to care for themselves alone. Extended families are becoming
increasingly common all over the world.

D. Childless Family
While most people think of family as including children, there are couples who either
cannot or choose not to have children. The childless family is sometimes the “forgotten family,”
as it does not meet the traditional standards set by society.  Childless families consist of two
partners living and working together. Many childless families take on the responsibility of pet
ownership or have extensive contact with their nieces and nephews.

E. Step Family
Over half of all marriages end in divorce, and many of these individuals choose to get
remarried. This creates the step or blended family which involves two separate families merging
into one new unit. It consists of a new husband, wife, or spouse and their children from previous
marriages or relationships. Step families are about as common as the nuclear family, although
they tend to have more problems, such as adjustments period  and discipline issues. Step
families need to learn to work together and also work with their exes to ensure these family units
run smoothly.

F. Grandparent Family
Many grandparents today are raising their grandchildren for a variety of reasons. One in
fourteen children is raised by his grandparents, and the parents are not present in the child's life.
This could be due to parents' death, addiction, abandonment or being unfit parents. Many
grandparents need to go back to work or find additional sources of income to help raise their
grandchildren.

LESSON 2: BASIC FAMILY DEFINITION

Family, a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood,

or adoption, constituting a single household and interacting with each other in their
respective social positions, usually those of spouses, parents, children, and siblings. The family
group should be distinguished from a household, which may include boarders and roomers
sharing a common residence. It should also be differentiated from a kindred (which also
concerns blood lines), because a kindred may be divided into several households. Frequently the
family is not differentiated from the marriage pair, but the essence of the family group is the
parent-child relationship, which may be absent from many marriage pairs.

At its most basic, then, a family consists of an adult and his or her offspring. Most
commonly, it consists of two married adults, usually a man and a woman (almost always from
different lineages and not related by blood) along with their offspring, usually living in a private
and separate dwelling. This type of unit, more specifically known as a nuclear family, is believed
to be the oldest of the various types of families in existence. Sometimes the family includes not
only the parents and their unmarried children living at home but also children that have married,
their spouses, and their offspring, and possibly elderly dependents as well; such an arrangement
is called an extended family.

LESSON 3: PHILIPPINE FAMILY CULTURE

“Good morals and values start at home and a uniform won’t change that” - Jamie Sawyer
 Majority of Philippine population is bonded together by common values and traits that are
first taught at home and being applied in our day to day lives.

Here are some of the family values Filipinos have:

1. Pagpapahalaga sa Pamilya (Family-oriented)

Filipinos are known for having strong and close family ties. They place high regard and

put importance on their family before anything else. They work all day and do all they can to feed

and provide for their family. In other countries, when a person turned 18, he/she can live away

from his/her family. In the Philippines, they value their family so much that they keep them intact

through the years.

2. Respect

One of the precious things, Filipinos have is that they are respectful. Young, youth, people

in all ages know how to show respect and courtesy. Some ways to show them are the use of “Po at

Opo”, “Pagmamano” or putting the back of an elder’s hand on your forehead, and calling our

older siblings or elders Ate or Kuya.

3. God-fearing

Though we, Filipinos, belong to different religious groups, we all have God (Supreme

being) in our center. Filipino families sometimes go to church or pray together with their family.

4. Pakikisama (Helping others)

Filipinos get along with different kinds of people. They can easily adjust to any situation
and are flexible. This trait fosters cooperation, good and helpful deeds. When their neighbors are
in trouble, they will help them in whatever they can. They also do not let their family members
go through hard times alone, instead, they help each other.

5. Hospitality
One of the most popular qualities Filipinos have is that they are very hospitable. When
there are visitors at home, they will do a lot of preparations for good entertainment and
accommodation so that they will feel at home and enjoy the stay. When there is an occasion at
home, there are a lot of food and you can expect to have take-outs (pabalot) after.

6. Utang na Loob (Debt of Gratitude)

This trait shows a sense of duty and responsibility. Filipinos know how to repay other
people. When someone helped us, we return the favors with goodness.
7. Love and Happiness
In a Filipino family, our parents usually cook for us, that’s what one of the ways on how
they show their love. Also, through good and bad times, Filipinos always find a way to smile and
be happy. Whatever the problem is, we are always reminded that our family’s always there to
love and support us no matter what.

“Filipino values will prevail even if years will pass by. It will never be removed because
it serves as a distinction among others race. Definitely, it’s more fun in the Philippines and
it’s the best to be part of Filipino family.”

LESSON 4: FILIPINO FAMILIES COMPOSITION

It is difficult to classify the Filipino family as it tends to change in composition from time
to time. The latest statistics available show that a typical Filipino family consists of six persons
(three females and three males) but this is not complete family. Of these six members, three are
aged 15 or over (parents and one young adult); the other three are under 14. The young adult
may have left and established household, by the time the data were printed. The urban (6, 4)
household is slightly larger in number than the rural (6.08) and contrary to general observation, a
higher proportion of nuclear family households (77.0) are in rural rather than urban centers.

An explanation of the statistics may be found in Filipino customs Newlyweds

usually live with the groom’s family until the first child is born and then they move into a home
of their own which is often close to the parent. In this way, several units of the extended kinship
group eventually, live in close physical proximity to one another insuring. Interdependence and
close association. This system has led many social scientists to think of the Filipino family as an
extended family (father, mother their children and other bilateral relatives) as contrasted to the
nuclear (father, mother, and their children). The unit of family is the nuclear family, but the
Filipino term “pamilya” embraces everyone affiliated through consanguinity (blood relation) and
compadrazgo, (ritual relatives) whether present in the household or not. Pamilya refers to
bilateral relatives who may either live with the family or in the same neighborhood plus siblings
who maybe away from home.

A number of studies have tried to explain the prevalence of extended family

households in Metro Manila. Urban families usually enjoy higher incomes so relatives from the
provinces tend to seek their help in finding jobs or places to stay while studying or working in
the city. Parents feel more secure if they know their children are with relatives rather than in
impersonal boarding houses; besides, it is cheaper to live with city relatives, although a network
of “utang na loob” is involved. Affordable lodgings and land are scarce in cities; hence doubling
of household’s results.