By the end of this Post, the reader should be able to:
· Explain the meaning and
types of the family.
· Explain the functions of
the family.
· Analyze the rights and
responsibilities of family members.
· Describe the various stages of the family life cycle.
· Outline the needs, goals and resources of families at the various stages.
Family
Family is the cornerstone of society, playing a pivotal role in shaping individuals and communities. It serves as the primary social unit that influences emotional, cultural, and economic development. This article explores the multifaceted concept of family, examining its definition, types, functions, roles, and dynamics. We'll also delve into qualities of a successful family, the importance of family values, and practical advice for strengthening family relationships.
Definition Of Family
(a) A family is made up of parents and their children living together.
(b) A group of people closely related by blood, parents, children, aunts, uncles, members of the extended family.
(c) All those descended from a common ancestor.
(d) Persons related by marriage or adoption.
(e) A group of people that pool their resources together (Economic family).
Family is defined as a social unit consisting of individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption, living together and sharing emotional and economic ties. It forms the basic building block of society, providing care, support, and socialization for its members.
The Concept of Family
The concept of family varies across cultures and societies but generally encompasses a group of individuals connected by kinship, mutual affection, and shared responsibilities. Families provide a framework for nurturing relationships, emotional support, and cultural continuity. They are crucial in shaping personal identity and social behavior, serving as the primary environment for upbringing and development.
Purpose and Functions of Family
The family serves as the cornerstone of society, performing several critical roles that contribute to the well-being and development of individuals and communities. Understanding the multifaceted purposes and functions of the family is essential to appreciating its role in human life. Here's an in-depth look at the main purposes and functions of family:
1. Emotional Support
One of the most fundamental purposes of the family is to provide emotional support to its members. Families act as a haven where individuals find love, care, and understanding, creating a nurturing environment that promotes emotional well-being.
- Love and Affection: Families offer unconditional love and acceptance, helping members feel valued and cherished. This sense of belonging fosters self-esteem and emotional security.
- Stress Relief: Family members provide comfort and solace during challenging times, helping each other navigate life's ups and downs. Emotional support from family can alleviate stress and anxiety, enhancing overall mental health. Read about the impact of family support on stress relief from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Empathy and Understanding: Within a family, members learn to empathize with one another, developing compassion and understanding. This empathy extends beyond the family unit, promoting kindness and cooperation in society. For more insights, explore the role of empathy in family dynamics.
2. Socialization
Socialization is a crucial function of the family, as it involves teaching children the cultural norms, values, and behaviors expected by society. Through socialization, families help individuals integrate into their communities and develop their identities.
Cultural Norms: Families instill cultural traditions, language, and customs, passing them down from one generation to the next. This cultural transmission preserves societal heritage and identity. Learn about the role of family in cultural socialization on Simply Psychology.
Moral Values: Family is the primary institution for imparting ethical and moral values. Children learn right from wrong, respect, responsibility, and integrity through family guidance and modeling. Discover more about how families teach moral values on Verywell Family.
Social Skills: Families teach social skills essential for interacting with others, such as communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution. These skills are vital for forming healthy relationships and functioning effectively in society. The importance of social skills in family life is further explained by Understood.org.
3. Economic Cooperation
Families function as economic units that contribute to the financial stability and well-being of their members. Economic cooperation within families involves pooling resources, sharing responsibilities, and supporting each other financially.
- Resource Sharing: Family members combine their financial resources to meet daily needs, such as housing, food, education, and healthcare. This collective effort ensures economic security and stability. Explore economic cooperation in families.
- Financial Planning: Families often engage in financial planning and budgeting, setting goals for savings, investments, and expenditures. This planning fosters financial responsibility and prepares members for future economic challenges. The importance of family financial planning is further discussed on Investopedia.
- Support During Hardships: Families provide a safety net during economic hardships, offering assistance and support during unemployment, illness, or other financial difficulties. This support reduces the risk of poverty and promotes resilience.
4. Protection and Care
A fundamental function of the family is to ensure the protection and care of its members, particularly the vulnerable, such as children, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
- Safety and Security: Families create a safe environment where members feel protected from external threats and harm. This sense of security promotes mental and emotional well-being.
- Health and Well-being: Families play a crucial role in maintaining the physical health of their members by providing proper nutrition, healthcare, and support for healthy lifestyles. Explore the impact of family on health and well-being according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Elderly Care: Families often take responsibility for caring for aging parents or relatives, offering emotional support, healthcare, and assistance with daily activities. For insights, visit Caring.com, which provides resources on elderly care within families.
5. Reproduction
Reproduction is a biological and social function of families that contributes to the continuation of society. Families provide a structured environment for raising children and ensuring their development into responsible adults.
- Childbirth and Parenting: Families are responsible for childbirth and nurturing children, providing them with love, education, and guidance. This nurturing environment is essential for children's physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Read about the role of family in child development on Child Development Institute.
- Population Growth: Through reproduction, families contribute to population growth and societal continuity, ensuring the survival of cultural values and traditions. Learn more about the importance of family in population dynamics from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
6. Cultural Transmission
Cultural transmission involves passing down beliefs, traditions, and customs from one generation to the next. Families play a vital role in preserving cultural heritage and fostering a sense of identity and belonging.
- Traditions and Rituals: Families celebrate cultural traditions, rituals, and holidays, reinforcing a sense of belonging and community. These practices help members connect with their cultural roots and strengthen family bonds. Explore the role of family in cultural traditions on Research Gate.
- Language and Communication: Families preserve language as a critical aspect of cultural identity, teaching children their native language and communication skills that reflect cultural nuances. Learn about the importance of language in family identity on the British Council's website.
- Historical Knowledge: Families share historical stories and experiences, passing on knowledge that helps members understand their heritage and societal contributions. Read more about the significance of historical knowledge in families from the Institute of Historical Research.
7. Educational Support
Families serve as the first educators, laying the foundation for lifelong learning and development. They provide essential educational support that complements formal education systems.
- Early Childhood Education: Families introduce basic concepts of learning, such as reading, writing, and numeracy, preparing children for formal education. For insights into early childhood education at home, visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
- Homework Assistance: Parents and guardians often assist with homework and school projects, reinforcing academic skills and encouraging a love for learning. Explore homework help strategies on Scholastic for effective assistance.
- Encouragement and Motivation: Families motivate members to pursue education and personal growth, setting expectations for academic achievement and career aspirations. Discover ways to encourage educational success from Edutopia.
8. Social Status and Identity
Families contribute to an individual's social status and identity, influencing their role and position within society.
- Social Class and Status: Families often determine an individual's social class and status, impacting access to resources, opportunities, and societal privileges. .
- Identity Formation: Family values, traditions, and beliefs shape individual identity, fostering a sense of belonging and self-awareness.
- Community Engagement: Families encourage community involvement and social responsibility, promoting civic participation and social cohesion. Explore ways families promote community engagement on Youth.gov.
Types of Family
Several types of family structures are recognized globally, each with unique characteristics:
- Nuclear Family: Consists of parents and their children living together. It is the most common family structure in many parts of the world.
- Extended Family: Includes relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins living together or maintaining close ties.
- Single-Parent Family: One parent raising children due to separation, divorce, or the death of a partner.
- Blended Family: Formed when two families merge due to remarriage, involving step-parents and step-siblings.
- Childless Family: Couples without children, either by choice or circumstance.
- Grandparent Family: Grandparents raising grandchildren due to various reasons, such as parental absence or inability.
The Nuclear Family
This type of family is limited to parents (father and mother) and their immediate offspring (children or siblings) or adopted children. The nuclear family is called elementary or conjugal or primary family or monogamous or geological family. It is made up of a man, his wife and their children. This type of family arises from the marriage of one man and one wife.
A nuclear family consists of husband, wife with or without children living together. Also referred to as "natural", primary" or restricted family.
Advantages of the Nuclear Family
- It does not involve unnecessary financial burden resulting from pressure by extended family members.
- Parents are in a position to train their children in their own way since there may be little or no external interference by other relatives
- The capabilities, talents or skills of children can easily be identified by parents due to the small nature of the family.
- A nuclear family promotes love and peace due to the blood relations existing between members.
- The needs and wants of the family can easily be provided.
Disadvantages of the Nuclear Family
- Children do not have opportunity to learn from other relatives as it is with the extended family system.
- In case of the death of one or both parents, the upbringing of offspring already born to the family will be very difficult. Children may, for example, face financial problems if enough money and assets are not left behind for their use.
- The socialization process may not be adequate or complete since children may not know those aspects of their culture which are not known to their parents
- In case of crises such as that of finance, a member of a nuclear family would not have a wide range of relatives to turn to for help.
The Extended Family
This type of family goes beyond the parents and immediate siblings. It involves blood relations that go beyond parents and immediate offspring. The extended family is made up of more than one nuclear unit. An extended family normally consists of father, mother and their children, parents of father, parents of mother, brothers and sisters of the father and mother, and children of the brothers and sisters of father and mother. It also includes aunts, uncles, cousins, wives of sons and their children etc. Or Extended family refers to nuclear family together with other relatives related by blood. Each of the husband or wife has his/her own extended family. They may not share a common residence.
Advantages of the Extended Family
- Children have a wide range of extended relatives from whom they can learn things that are not known by their parents.
- It can promote unity within a society since members regard one another as relatives
- In the absence of parents, other relatives can take up the responsibility of the bringing up of their children.
- In case of any crisis or difficult problem, a member of an extended family may have a wide range of relatives to whom he can turn f or help. Thus, it ensures the security of family members.
- In traditional homes, it provides a large supply of farm labor.
Disadvantages of Extended Family
- It may lead to a great financial burden on some members particularly those who are well to do in the family.
- It can lead to a situation whereby overdependence of some members on others will end up in encouraging laziness. Such dependents always refuse to be hardworking with the hope that other members will always be there to help them.
- The consequences of a negative act such as rape and indebtedness committed by a family member may be borne by other members of the family.
- The extended family system makes it difficult for hardworking members to save because they usually have more people to cater for. This can lead to low investment and development within a country.
- It brings about low investment and development due to low savings associated with it.
Single Parent Family
A family headed by one parent that is either the
mother or father is referred to as single parent family. In this case either the
father (man) or mother (woman) or husband or wife lives with one or more
children. The causes of single parent family include, divorce, separation,
death of a spouse or unmarried or never married procreation.
Advantage of Single Parent Family
- Children learn to be independent at a very tender or early age than they otherwise would/might.
Disadvantages of Single Parent Family
- Children do not have an opportunity to learn from the parent who is not with them.
- Children also take up extra responsibilities at home.
- The single parent would also have to undertake the responsibilities or functions of the family all alone without support from a partner or spouse.
Blended Family
It refers to a family that is made up of the father,
mother and children from their present marriage as well as children from their
previous marriage or relationship. Blended family thus means joining of two
separate families through marriage.
Advantages of Blended Family
- It makes it possible to provide the basic needs of the family.
- Provide adequate sense of security for the couple and children.
- Provide companionship for the couple.
- With increased resources of the couple, they will be able to provide recreational facilities and opportunities for family members
Disadvantages of Blended Family
- Blended family may lead to clashes of habits and attitude of other children.
- Increase of financial burden on couple
- Children may be maltreated by step parent.
- Discipline of step children by step parents is a major problem as step parent may only act as a disciplinarian when the natural parent is absent.
- Merging of children from different backgrounds may lead to clashes in habits and outlook.
The Polygamous Family
In a polygamous family, a man is legally married to
more than one wife. Thus the polygamous family is made up of a man, his wives
and their children. This type of family is not as universal as the nuclear
family. It is mostly found in Africa and Asia.
Advantages of a Polygamous family
- The possession of many wives and children could be a source of prestige and emotional security for a man.
- More wives and children could mean an increased labor force for the man's farm work, resulting in more wealth.
- Childlessness is not a problem in polygamous families.
- The man has many wives to satisfy his different needs.
Disadvantages of a Polygamous family
- The size of the polygamous family is often large and control of members may be difficult.
- Family resources may not always be enough to give the children adequate care. They may not be given good food, clothing, housing, education, health care, etc.
- Children from a polygamous family may turn delinquent owing to lack of care and love from parents.
- There is often rivalry, jealousy and unhealthy competition among wives in the attempt to win their husbands love and attention. These often affect the children.
- Where there are many children, the father may not be able to recognize all of them and relate with each of them as he ought to.
- In many cases, the provision of food for the man becomes a problem because some wives may decide to shun their responsibilities. This may result in health problems for the man.
- Where the man fails to satisfy his wives sexually, there may be the tendency for some to have extra-marital relations.
- At the death of the father in a polygamous family, there are always serious problems about the sharing of the family assets.
Family Relationships
Family relationships are long-lasting and can be
grouped into three types; husband-wife relationship, parents-children
relationships, and brother-sister (siblings) relationships.
a. Husband-Wife Relationship
The husband and his wife (father and mother) are the
key persons in a family. The family resulted from the initial relationship they
established. For the well-being of the family, the husband-wife relationship
must continue to be strengthened through:
(i) Effective
communication: Although a couple can and should learn to communicate well
before they are married, there is need to continue to strengthen their
communication channels. Communication involves recognizing and expressing one's
own feelings as well as recognizing the other persons. Differences or conflicts
can be resolved through communication.
(ii) Affection:
In a husband-wife relationship the pattern of love changes from being-in-love
to marital love. The latter is realistic, less exciting, more security-giving
and satisfying. The love must be kept alive. It generates trust and strengthens
relationship.
(iii) Companionship:
The couple needs to view themselves as companions working towards the same
goal. There should be cooperation and mutual trust in one another.
(iv) Sex
relationship: This becomes more satisfying as the couple develop the ability to
satisfy one another's needs.
b. Parents-Child Relationships
Parent-child relationships can be broken down into
four sub-relationships. In effect, it is often very rare for any of the four
sub relationships to be shown in pure form. This classification makes it
possible to see that the ways parents and children relate to each other, are
not the same throughout the child's life.
Types of Parent-Child Relationships
i. Protection-Dependence Relationship: At first, the child is almost completely dependent on the parents, who are generally looked upon to give protection to the child. Before birth, a child is completely dependent on his mother for all the functions of living. At this time the father can protect the child by protecting the mother. After birth, and as the child grows up, the parents continue to protect him by showing love, feeding him, playing with him, etc.
ii. Instruction-Learning relationship: Through
parental love, the provision of toys and experiences, rewarding good behavior
etc. parents establish the instruction-learning relationship with their
children. They teach skills and attitudes both directly and indirectly. Parents
even influence those skills and attitudes. which children learn from their
brothers and sisters. The parents set the stage and either approve the kind of
teaching that brothers and sisters give to one another, or try to prevent
situations in which undesirable learning might be referred to as family
culture. This is the way of life of the family, which is often related to those
of the community. The culture of some families includes table manners,
going-to-bed routines, sharing of possessions, helping with domestic chores, use
of family property such as television, etc.
iii.. Enjoyment-Companionship Relationship: As
the child comes closer to adulthood, a feeling of companionship with the
parents arises. Companionship here means the sharing of interests and pleasures
by parents and children on the basis of equality. The relationship increases as
the children grow older, and become more nearly like their parents in maturity.
This type of relationship develops the personalities of both children and
parents. Enjoyment arises from watching development and achievements in the
child, sharing pleasant activities, and noticing children's fresh viewpoints
and joy in living.
iv. Advising-Evaluation Relationship: When the
child has reached adulthood and has gained a large amount of independence from
parents, the relationship gives rise to a situation in which the parents give
advice to the child. The child evaluates this advice as one item of his
experience.
c. Brother-Sister or Sibling Relationship
Siblings are children of the same parents. A sibling
may be either a brother or a sister. Individual differences exist among
siblings in size, good looks, intelligence, special talents, sensitivity, etc.
However, strong relationships exist among siblings. For instance,
a. Siblings give each other companionship. Those who
are close together in age are more likely to find companionship with one
another, but nearly all siblings have some common meeting ground.
b. They help each other learn how to give and take and
how to respect each other's point of view.
c. Adolescent siblings can check each other on manners
and etiquette, clothes, language, ways of making the hair, etc. This is
indirect teaching.
d. Siblings also give each other security,
understanding and support against adults. Sometimes, siblings are jealous of
each other.
Factors That Influence Family Relationships
The factors that influence family relationships
include:
i. Changes Due to Growth and Development
The
most important influence is the growth of the child because it is taken place
at a rapid rate. The age of the child, for instance, affects the way he views
the parents and how he relates to them. The parents are also changing. These
changes may also have a strong effect on the parent child relationships.
ii. Individual Differences
No two individuals
are the same, not even siblings. Individual differences may arise from heredity
and environmental factors, e.g., some members of the family may be slow, quiet,
not outgoing while others could be fast, noisy, and out-going. These different
behavior patterns affect how the two groups relate to each other.
iii. Home conditions
The general conditions
existing in a home affect the relationships of family members. For example, in
a home where parents are always fighting, children are likely to
feel insecure, and relationships will be poor. Again,
if the father is constantly away from home, parent-child relationship will be
affected.
iv. Family Size
A large family broadens the
scope of family relationships. It means that parents have more children to
relate to. A child will have more siblings to relate to Where resources are
very scarce, there may be a lot of friction and jealousy among the siblings.
Parents might find it difficult to meet the needs of the children adequately.
v. Human Needs
Every human being, including
each family member, has certain needs. These needs range from the basic ones
such as food, water, safety, and love to self-worth. Family relationships will
be strengthened if members' needs are met adequately; otherwise, there might be
frictions, unhealthy competition and even hatred within the family.
vi. Parental Altitudes
The attitude of the parents towards each other and their
children, affects family relationships. For instance, where parents attempt to favor
some children in preference to others, conflicts, jealousy and rivalry may be
the result.
vii. Child Training Methods
Children have
different personality profiles. They differ in their temperament, attitudes and
capabilities. Some are slow learners while others are fast learners. When they
are all handled on the same basis, friction might result in family relationships.
So the same methods may not be suitable for instructing or guiding all the
children in a family. For good family relationship, parents should consider
each child as a unique person when instructing him/her.
Family Relationship and Management
For any family to function properly and achieve its
set goals, each member has to perform his or her role effectively. Promoting
good family management involves:
(i) Collective decision making
Decision making in the family should be a corporative activity rather than one person's decision or only the parents business. When decision making in the family is a corporative one, members accept responsibilities willingly. Willingness to accept responsibilities promotes good family management and the well-being of the family.
(ii) Provision of basic needs
Parents should
provide for children's needs adequately, so that they enjoy family life and
contribute to the welfare of the family. When children perform their roles as
expected, parents also find it easy to provide for their needs.
(iii) Fostering cooperation
The basis for
happy relationship within the family is cooperation and sharing. Families
should learn to share and cooperate to solve their problems and get what they
want by: doing things together; talking things over; giving each member
opportunities to try out new ideas.
(iv) Effective communication
Family members have feelings, resolve conflicts peacefully and share moments of joy of happiness OR sorrow with other members. Good family relations therefore contribute to a great deal to success in family management.
Socialization
Socialization is the process through which the older
generation of a society consciously makes an effort to pass on the culture of
the society to the individual. Culture which is the totality of the way of life
of a given group of people is not static but dynamic. Hence culture changes
with time and for that matter, needs to be passed on to new members of the
society from time to time.
Types of socialization
Primary socialization:
This is the initial training the individual acquires from childhood or during
infancy and it begins with the immediate family or parents.
Secondary socialization:
This follows the primary type, and it is the subsequent or later process of
training. It involves the induction of an already socialized person into new
sector or area of the society, e.g., school, church etc.
Propose / Significance / Importance of Socialization
Some of the reasons for which socialization is
important to both the individual and the society include the following:
- Socialization enables the individual to fit very well into the society since it helps the individual to know the way of life of the society.
- It enables the individual to function effectively in the society. It enables the individual to learn values and develop his or her talents.
- Socialization also ensures that the culture of the society continues to exist from generation to generation
- By ensuring the continuous existence of culture, socialization ensures the preservation and transmission of culture.
Agencies Responsible for Socialization
The agencies responsible for the socialization of the
individual in Ghana include the following:
(i) The home, the family and parents
These are the primary sources of socialization in every country. Through parents or the home, the child learns the culture, values and language of the community. The child learns these so that he can fit well into the society.
Despite this important position of the family in the
socialization process, the breakdown of the extended family system due to
urbanization and the demand of work among others have weakened the family as an
agency of socialization.
(ii) The school
Schools are formal means of socialization.
The schools/teachers play important roles in the socialization of the
individual by way of transmitting or imparting knowledge and skills, discipline
of the individual, and character formation of the person. In short, they guide
and impart to students the approved behavior of the society. The school as an
agency of socialization has not fully adjusted to the needs of the society. In
order to function effectively as an agency of socialization, the school should
demonstrate how knowledge acquired can be applied in life for the benefit of
the entire society. Knowledge acquired from the school should be relevant to
the needs of the society.
(iii) Peer
Peers are the age mates or equals
with whom an individual relates more informally and closely. Children spend
more time with their peers in school than their parents and more often their
views are most easily accepted than the views of parents. During interactions
they exchange certain values and behaviors which may not be acceptable by adults in the society.
(iv) The Mass Media
The mass media which
includes television, radio, magazines, newspapers, etc. also constitute a
strong source of socialization. The mass media is the medium through which
information is carried to a large number of people in our society. The mass
media therefore influence the behavior and attitude of people.
(v) Religious Institutions
Within the church,
church elders, pastors or priests serve as agents of socialization. They are able to change the behavior of people
and influence those with negative attitudes, e.g., criminals, prostitutes, drug
addicts etc. to do away with such attitudes.
(vi) The Workplace/ Organization
Organizations and workplaces also act as agents of socialization. Within the organization or workplace, one is compelled to behave appropriately. Boys Scouts, Boys Brigade, Girls Guide, Debating Societies, and Drama Clubs etc. in schools afford students an opportunity to cultivate a sense of public spiritedness. They also share opinions, ideas and advice, accept criticism and emulate/ copy the lifestyle of others.
Family Obligations
Family obligations implies what the individual member
of the family has to do as a matter of duty, or something that a family member
has to do in return for favor, goodwill or privilege enjoyed from the family.
Family obligation involves things to be done by family members as a matter of
course or by way of expectations from society. For instance, parents are
expected to socialize, educate and feed their children and children are
expected to perform household chores and run errands.
Role And Obligations of The Father
The father performs the duties in the family:
(i) Provide material and physical needs
He is
expected to provide the material and physical needs (food, shelter, clothing etc.)
of his wife and children. He is the bread winner of the family. It is therefore
his duty to work hard to provide the financial needs of the family.
(ii) Discipline and correct children
It is the
responsibility of the father to discipline and correct the siblings any time
they go wrong. He therefore maintains law, order, peace and harmony within the
family or at home.
(iii) Social support
The father has the
responsibility of accompanying his wife to social gatherings such as funerals
and other places such as hospitals.
(iv) Assist children in decision making
The
father has to help the children to make good decisions about their education/
career and their lives. For example, the father is supposed to guide his
children in the selection of occupations.
(v) Procreation
The father has the
responsibility of teaming up with his wife to procreate through sexual
intercourse.
(vi) Educate and feed children
It is the
responsibility of the father to educate and feed his children through all the
levels of education that they are capable of attaining.
(vii) It is his responsibility to socialize the
family.
Responsibilities of The Mother
(i) Provide physical and material needs
It is
the responsibility of the mother to provide some of the physical and material
needs of the children to supplement what is provided by their husbands.
(ii) Responsible for household chores
She is
responsible for the household chores of the family such as sweeping, cooking,
washing etc. and the sharing of such chores among the children.
(iii) Social support and companionship
It is
her duty to accompany her husband to social gatherings and other places.
(iv) Train daughter(s) for the future integration
It is the responsibility of the mother to prepare her daughter(s) for marriage
and womanhood.
(v) Procreation
The mother is responsible for
teaming up with her husband for procreation
(vi) Education, nourishment and socialization of children
She is also a party to the education, feeding and socialization of the
children.
The Role or Responsibilities of Children
(i) They are expected to perform household chores.
(ii) It is the responsibility of children to run
errands for their parents and other elderly members of the family.
(iii) Children are responsible for catering for their
young ones any time their parents are not around
(iv) It is the responsibility of every child to
respect his parents and other elders of his family.
(v) Children have a duty to help their parents in
their various economic activities such as farming, fishing and trading.
(vi) Show appreciation and uphold family values, e.g.,
faithfulness, understanding, honesty, etc.
(vii) Care and provide for their parents especially
during their old age or when they are ill.
Rights And Responsibilities of The Family
Rights
Claims family members should have as members of the
family to ensure growth and development as individuals
(i) Right to be cared for by the family.
(ii) To be provided with basic needs.
(iii) Right to security.
(iv) Equal treatment without discrimination.
(v) Have emotional support.
(vi) Enjoy opportunities in the society.
Responsibilities
What the Individual Is Obliged to Do as Member of a
Family
(i) Respect authority.
(ii) Respect privacy of others.
(iii) Support others.
(iv) Take responsibility of their personal effects and
those of the family and the society.
(v) Show respect to others.
Working Mothers and Management
A working mother is someone who works in a paid job or
income generating activity to make a living in addition to her responsibilities
in the home.
Traditional Roles of Mothers
(i) Child-bearing / procreation: The mother is
responsible for the bearing and rearing of children
(ii) Meeting or providing children's basic needs:
Taking care of children by feeding, bathing, clothing and nurturing them
(iii) Cooking / preparing food: The mother
prepares and serves meals for the family. It is her responsibility to ensure
that every family member is well fed.
(iv) House care/ care of the home: The mother
takes care of the house by ensuring that the house is clean, healthy and
comfortable.
(v) Laundering: The mother takes care of family
clothing and household articles
e.g., Washing, ironing, mending, storing etc.
Reasons Why Mothers Work Outside the Home
(i) To increase family income: Mothers work outside
the home to increase family income and thus helping to meet family needs and
goals.
(ii) Separation / divorce: Women who have
separated or divorced are compelled to work to take care of themselves and
their children.
(iii) Social interaction: By working outside
the home, women meet other people, share ideas and avoid boredom.
(iv) Education of women: The education of
women, has increased their chances of getting paid jobs. The opening of day
care centers has also made it possible for women to leave their children in
good hands and take up jobs outside the house.
v) Provision of basic needs: Women also work
outside the home because they want to earn their own money to buy personal
items, support their children and help their parents rather than asking their
husbands for money all the time.
Effects Of Mothers Working Outside the Home (Problems Related to Mothers Working Outside the Home)
(i) Mothers overwork because they have to get up early
to prepare the children for school and prepare breakfast and lunch before going
to work.
(ii) Sometimes, mothers’ jobs suffer due to lateness,
absenteeism, lack of concentration which sometimes results in conflict with
their bosses.
(iii) Housework also suffers, because mothers, do not
have enough time to take care of the home.
(iv) It affects their relationship, because of lack of
time and frustration, they may not give enough love and attention to their
husbands and children.
Ways By Which the Burden of Housekeeping on The Mother Can Be Reduced
(i) The husband or father should be encouraged to help
by taking up jobs they are capable of doing in the house.
(ii) House helps may be employed to take care of some
of the household jobs.
(iii) Older children can help with household chores.
(iv) Families should plan their house keeping
activities carefully for effective management.
(v) Use labor saving devices if available.
Jobs That Both Men and Women Can Do
These include:
(i) Nursing
(ii) Teaching
(iii) Medicine
(iv) Catering
(v) Engineering
(vi) Fashion Designing
(vii) Law
(viii) Banking
(ix) Broadcasting / communication
(x) Armed forces or security service
THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLE
Family life cycle refers to the stages of growth or
changes a family goes through as it goes through life.
Stages Of the Family Life Cycle
The stages a family passes through can be simply
represented by four distinct periods namely:
(i) Beginning
(ii) Expanding
(iii) Contracting
(iv) Empty nest
Beginning Stage
This is usually a short state of the family. It starts when a couple marries and ends when the first child arrives.
Expanding stage
This stage covers a longer period than the beginning
stage. It begins when the first child arrives to the time children begin to leave
home and become independent.
Contracting Stage
This stage begins when the first child leaves home and
ends when the last child goes
away. It is marked by a young person's departure for marriage or full-time employment after his/her education.
Empty Nest (Dissolution’s stage)
The stage when all the children leave home and the couple
are left alone.
Family Needs, Goals and Resources at The Different Stages of The Life Cycle (Various Stages)
Beginning Stage
(i) The couple needs to establish the kind of
relationship and home they want. They learn to know each other better and
change certain habits and accept each other's likes and dislikes.
(ii) They make a choice of a house depending on the
economic situation. That is the couple's jobs, availability of modern amenities
and their economic status.
(iii) They set financial goals.
(iv) Time and energy demands are minimal unless when
there are children already.
(v) The couple may have few resources in terms of
income, space, household equipment.
(vi) The couple should work hard to contribute to the
successful running of the home and also start saving and accumulating goods for
the future.
Expanding Stage
This is the stage when the couple bears children,
brings them up and sees them through school. Increased size of the family means
increases in need for other resources such as:
(i) Demands on income, space, time and energy
increase. During this period, parents spend much of their time, money, energy
and all other resources on bringing up the children.
(ii) Housing needs may increase as the number of
children in the family Increase.
(iii) Parents set goals for socializing children
especially education.
Contracting stage
This is a period when children begin to leave home to
get established jobs. The result is the following:
(i) Demands on time, energy and financial resources
may decrease.
(ii) Parents may recover financially. Financial
expenses of the family drops rapidly. Couples can now start saving for
retirement.
(iii) Parents may set new financial goals for
retirement. For example, pay all debts, invest in insurance, etc.
Empty Nest
At this stage, all the children have left home to
establish their own homes, the couple is left alone. This stage is
characterized by:
(i) Income may be low.
(ii) Couples have more time to themselves.
(iii) Couple's energy will decline due to age and poor
health.
(iv) They may set new goals.
Disruptions/Variations in the family life cycle
The family life cycle may be disrupted and thus not
all families go through all the stages of the cycle. The following reasons will
account for that.
i. There is the possibility that couples separate or
divorce or die at any of the stages without completing the cycle.
ii. Not all families have children and may adopt
children
iii. There are individuals who want to remain single
parents and yet have children.
iv. Some children may leave home at the time some are
still being born. Thus, some of the stages overlap.
v. There are instances where children will never leave
home at all, and some who have left may return.
vi. In very large families, it may take a long time
for all the children to leave home.
vii. In extended families, some members will leave
with their relatives throughout the stages of the family lifecycle.
WASSCE/SSCE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS ANSWERS ON FAMILY
1a. Discuss the purpose of socialization by the family (Nov 1997)
(i) Socialization helps to preserve the culture of the
society. Through socialization, the culture of the society is transmitted or
transferred to the individual from generation to generation e.g., cultural practices
(ii) Socialization also helps the society to transmit
values, attitudes, skills and customs to its members.
(iii) As the individual imbibes good values,
attitudes, and customs through the process of socialization, he becomes
responsible and fits very well into the society.
(iv) Socialization provides the individual with a
sense of security and belonging.
(v) Through socialization, individuals learn to
interact and work with others.
(b). Explain five factors that may contribute to
the breakdown of the family and the results of this on the family members
Factors that contribute to the breakdown of the family
(i). Financial Problems:
The family may not have enough/adequate funds to run the home. The inability of
the man to provide money to cater for basic things like food and clothing puts
the family under serious stress. It results in anger and unhappiness.
(ii). Interference from In-laws:
Unnecessary interference from in-laws which tends to create unhealthy
relationships and conflicts culminating in family instability. Where in-laws
interfere in the affairs of the family, denying them of their privacy and
independence, it could lead to family breakdown.
(iii). Lack of Effective Communication:
Inadequate or even lack of effective communication or free flow of information
among family members may lead to conflict and subsequent break-up of the
family. Effective communication or free flow of information help correct
misconceptions and solve many problems or misunderstandings in the family.
IV. Infidelity or unfaithfulness: Especially
adultery on the part of the woman and/or the man can result in the breakdown of
marriage and thus, the family. Where the man or woman flirts outside the
marriage, one may feel disgraced and will like to end the relationship.
Effects of breakdown of the family:
(i) Leads to children living wayward due to broken
home. The result is teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, prostitution etc.
(ii) Inadequate provision of basic needs for the
family.
(iii) Results in division among family members
especially children.
(iv) Loss of respect and trust.
(v) It also leads to psychological problems
e.g. insecurity, mental disorders etc.
2.a. Discuss the difference between family of
orientation and the family of procreation. Illustrate your answer with
appropriate examples,
The family of orientation, is the family into which a person is born, consisting of self (that is the person), brothers and sisters and parents. Family of procreation arises when through marriage, a person leaves the family of orientation to create a new family consisting of self (the person) wife or husband (spouse) and children. It therefore becomes a new nuclear family emanating from the family of orientation.
b. Describe two roles each that the following members play in the family to ensure successful living.
Mother
(i) Procreation or child bearing.
(ii) Care for family members.
(iii) Preparation of food.
(iv) Satisfy husband sexually.
(v) Contribute to the education of the children.
(vi) Takes care of the house-cleaning, cooking, doing
the laundry, etc.
Father
(i) Satisfy wife sexually.
(ii) Provides money needed for the upkeep of the
family.
(iii) He maintains discipline in the family.
(iv) Socialization.
(v) Procreation\ reproduction.
(vi) He should be a role model for the children.
Children
(i) Respect and obey parents and other adults.
(ii) Help with domestic or household chores.
(iii) Should appreciate and reciprocate the love given
to them by their parents.
(iv) Learn the culture of the society.
(v) Work with parents on the farm where such exists or
in other activities.
(vi) Perform their civic responsibilities.
3. a. List the main stages of the family life cycle (Nov
1998)
(i) The beginning stages.
(ii) The
expanding stage.
(iii) The
contracting stage.
(iv) The
empty nest stages.
b. Identify and bring out the characteristics of the
stage, where there is greatest pressure on family resources
Characteristics of the family at the expanding stage
are:
(i) Children
begin to arrive.
(ii) Demands on income, space, time and energy
increase.
(iii) Housing needs may increase.
(iv) Parents set goals for socializing children
especially education.
c. Discuss the pressures on the resources of money,
time and energy at this stage
(i) Pressure on money: Money is needed to
provide for the physical and other needs of the family e.g., food, clothing,
medical bills, living space, recreational and education facilities and
opportunities for the children.
(ii) Pressure on energy: Parents need energy to
work, earn money to provide the physical needs of the family e.g., food,
clothing, health care, shelter for the children at different stages of
development.
(iii) Pressure on time: Parents need time to
interact with the children and teach them basic skills of life and on
individual needs to be able to fit into the larger society as responsible
adults.
4.a.i. Give two examples of the traditional work of women
(Nov 2000)
(i) Housekeeping or taking care of the house e.g.,
cooking, sweeping, washing,
etc.
(ii) Reproducing children or child bearing.
(iii) Taking care of children or child upkeep or
bringing up children.
(iv) Trading
(v) Engaging in handicraft e.g., basketry, bead
making, pottery, etc.
a.ii. Give two reasons why some women work outside the
home
(i) To help increase family income or contribute to
finances of the family.
(ii) High rates of divorce and separation have also
forced many women to support themselves and their children.
(iii) To earn their own income or money to buy
personal items rather than asking their husbands.
(iv) Working outside the home also enable women to
meet other people, share ideas and avoid boredom.
(v) Education of women also increases women's chances
of getting paid jobs.
(vi) The opening of day-care centers enables women to
leave their children in good hands and take jobs away from home.
b. State any three jobs that both men and women do
(i) Nursing
(ii) Engineering
(iii) Medicine
(iv) Farming
(v) Trading
(vi) Catering
(vii) Teaching
c. Give two problems or disadvantages of mothers
working outside the home
(i) Mother has to get up very early to prepare
children for school and prepare breakfast and lunch before going to work.
(ii) Household chores may be left unattended to or may
suffer due to lack of time.
(iii) Mother can get very tired because of the double
workload and this may affect the relationship with her husband and children.
(iv) Mother may not be able to give children enough
time and motherly care or love that they need.
(v) After a hard day's work, she comes home to prepare
meals and put the children to bed.
(vi) Work output of working mothers may be low.
(vii) House helps may take over the functions of wives.
(viii) Combining work outside the home and in the home
may lead to fatigue.
5.a.i. What is a family? (Nov 2000)
A family is a group of people or persons related by
blood, marriage or adoption who may or may not live together or is a group of
people related to each other by or through marriage, blood or adoption.
a.ii. State the two main types of families we have in
Ghana
(i) Nuclear family
(ii) Extended family
b. Describe anyone of the types of families you have
mentioned above
Nuclear family: The
nuclear family, which is sometimes called monogamous or biological family is
made up of a man, his wife and their children or without children.
Extended family:
This is made up of more than one nuclear unit and extends across two
generations. It includes aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, wives, sons and
their children.
c.i. List and explain any two functions of the family
(i) Child bearing: The family bears and rears
children for society. By this function, the family contributes to the nation's
population.
(ii) Socialization: The family helps to socialize
its members by bringing up children in the ways of the community.
(iii) Protection: The family protects its
members. For instance, the health of members is protected through the provision
of food, clothing, shelter, etc.
(iv) Recreation: The family provides
recreational activities for its members and other people.
(v) Security: The family provides a sense of
security for its members. The love, affection and support shown by parents make
children feel secure.
(vi) Physical
maintenance: Provides for the physical needs of the family such as food,
clothing, shelter, health care and other material needs of its members.
c.ii State any two roles children play in the family
(i) They help each other and their parents with
domestic chores e.g., sweeping, fetching water, washing plates and their
clothes etc.
(ii) They respect and obey their parents and other
adults.
(iii) They appreciate and reciprocate the love given
to them by their parents.
(iv) They help on the farm.
(v) They run errands for parents.
(vi) They also contribute to family finances by
selling few items.
d.i Give two reasons why it is necessary to manage
family income
(i) You manage family income to ensure that your
expenditure is within the limits of your income.
(ii) You manage family income to avoid the use of
limited family money for items, which are not important to the family.
d.ii State two things you have to consider before
setting up a budget
(i) The family income
(ii) Family needs
(iii) Family size
(iv) Family values
6.a) who is a working
mother?
A mother who works in a paid job or any income
generation activity to earn a living in addition to her responsibilities in the
home.
(b) State and explain five factors that make women
work outside the home
(i) To increase family income: Mothers work
outside the home to increase family income and thus helping to meet family
needs and goals.
(ii) Separation / divorce: Women who have
separated or divorced are compelled to work to take care of themselves and
their children.
(iii) Social interaction: By working outside
the home, women meet other people, share ideas and avoid boredom.
(iv) Education of women: The education of
women, has increased their chances of getting paid jobs. The opening of day
care centers has also made it possible for women to leave their children in
good hands and take up jobs outside the home.
(v) Provision of basic needs: Women also work
outside the home because they want to earn their own money to buy personal
items, support their children and help their parents rather than asking their
husbands for money.
c) State six problems that a working mother faces at
home and her work place
(i) Mothers overwork because they have to get up early
to prepare the children for school and prepare breakfast and lunch before going
to work.
(ii) Sometimes, mothers’ jobs suffer due to lateness,
absenteeism, lack of concentration which sometimes results in conflict with
their bosses.
(iii) Housework also suffers because mothers do not
have enough time to take care of the home.
(iv) lt affects their relationship, because of lack of
time and frustration, they may not give enough love and attention to their
husbands and children.
(v) The mother can get tired because of double
workload and this affect her relationship with her husband and children.
(vi) Working mothers need to plan their time to suit
or fit into their work demands.
(viii) Some working mothers sometimes face
discrimination from their bosses or employees. e.g. refusal to promote them to
managerial positions.
7.(a) (i) At which stage of the family cycle does the
couple need adjustment most.
The beginning stage of the family cycle needs
adjustment most.
(ii) State and explain two reasons to support your
answer in (a) (i)
(i) The man and woman have been brought up in different
environments and would have acquired different values and habits.
ii) They were also socialized by different parents and
families.
(iii)They have different identities and aspirations or
goals in life.
(iv) Ethnic and cultural differences affect their attitudes and beliefs.
(b) Explain the term expanding phase or expanding
stage
Expanding stage or phase is the period when the couple
bears children, brings them up, educate them or see them through school. The
children become adults, independent and leave home to start their family. It
starts with the birth of the first child and ends when the last child leaves
home.
(c) State five problems parents are likely to face
during the expanding stage.
(i) Parents must work extra hard to meet the needs of
family members e.g., food, clothing, shelter, etc.
(ii) Pressure on the use of family resources e.g.,
income, space etc.
(iii) Problems of raising or bringing up children
especially adolescents.
(iv) Problem of managing household chores by parents
and children at different stages of development.
(v) Parents sometimes go through emotions due to
failures, misfortunes in their aspirations.
(vi) Brings a lot of stress and strain to the mother
because of pressure on the use of time and energy for work and at home.
8.a) (i) Describe the four major stages each family is
likely to go through
Beginning stage
(i) This is the period of adjustment.
(ii) Couples set financial goals.
(iii) Need to establish the kind of relationships and
home they want.
(iv) Time and energy demands are minimal.
Expanding stage
(i) Children begin to arrive.
(ii) Demands on income, space, time and energy
increase.
(iii) Housing needs may increase.
(iv) Parents set goals for socializing children especially education.
Contracting stage
(i) Demands on time, energy and financial resources
may decrease.
(ii) Older children begin to leave home to start their
own families or set up their own household
(iii) Couples may retire from employment or their jobs
(iv) Parents may. recover financially.
(v) Parents may set new financial goals for retirement.
Empty nest
(i) All children move out living parents alone.
(ii) Couple are left to themselves until they die.
(iii) Everyone will decline due to age and poor
health.
(iv) Couple may have more time. (v) Set new goals.
9.(a) Explain four ways in which a family can attain a
successful life.
(i) Love/affection: There should be love and
affection among family members. This will ensure healthy relationship, respect
for each other’s opinions or views, security and happiness
(ii) Provision of basic needs: The provision of
basic necessities of life e.g., food, shelter, clothing, health care and family
values e.g., loyalty, faithfulness, understanding and trustworthiness, etc.
(iii) Effective communication: Effective or
good communication among family members can be the key to family harmony
(iv) Conflict resolution: The effective
resolution of family conflicts will help family members to get along with each
other.
(v) Collective decisions: Making good decisions
collectively or together with family members help to making families spend
quality time with the children
(vi) Support for each other (co-operation): The
need for family members to come together to support each other in time of need
(b) State four responsibilities children have towards
their parents
(i) Children should respect and obey their parents
(ii) They should help parents with domestic chores
such as cleaning the house, washing plates, washing their clothes etc.
(iii)They should appreciate and reciprocate the love
given to them by their parents
(iv) They should be made familiar with their family's
values, standards and religious beliefs and should follow their parents good
examples e.g. hardworking, honesty, obedient etc
(v) They should show love, affection, kindness and
loyalty towards their parents
10.(a) Explain the term one-parent family?
One-parent family also referred to as single parent
family is a family headed by one parent either a man or woman (father or
mother) and the children. Such families arise because of separation, divorce or
death of one of the parents or by people who have never married.
(b) State six disadvantages of a one-parent family
(i) Discipline and control of children will be very
difficult
(ii) Children may feel lonely in the absence of the
other partner
(iii) Children may drop out of school because of
inadequate funds
(iv) Responsibilities may be too much for the single
parent alone
(v) One parent family sometimes leads to prostitution
(vi) The lack of parental control may lead children
into engaging in social vices such as armed robbery, drug addiction and
prostitution.
(vii) Children may also capitalize on the fact that
parents do not leave together to play them against each other
(viii) Children in single parent family may be
suppressed, over worked or neglected
Examination Questions
1. State five things a family should do in order to function well (Nov. 2006)
2. a. Explain how parents play the following roles in
the family.
(i) Provision of psychological needs
(ii) Provision of social needs
b. State any two factors that are considered when
assigning roles to children in the family
c. State two roles children can play in the family.
d. Explain four ways by which good family relationship can promote good family management.
3. Who is a single parent? Explain five causes of a single-parent family.
4. Suggest five disadvantages of a blended family.
5. State and explain six problems that a working mother encounters both at home and at her workplace.
6.a. Define the term family
b. Explain the various types of family in Ghana
7. Identify and explain the various stages of family life cycle
8 a. Who is a working mother?
b. Discuss five factors that make women work outside
the home.
9. Outline and describe four major stages each family
is likely to go through.
10.a. Mention and explain three factors which affects
the stability of families (Nov. 1999)
b. How can families cope with any two of the factors
mentioned in (a) above?
c. Explain two ways in which the extended family can
be of help to the nuclear family.
11. a. What are the functions of the family?
b. Describe the extended family
c. Importance of extended family
d. Disadvantages of the extended family (Nov 2001)
12.a. Describe three ways in which the families function of socialization has
changed over the years.
b. Esi is living with her step parent and step sibling. What four things can she do to maintain good family relationship.
13 a. Describe the two-family systems of the Ghanaian
society.
b. State the four distinct stages of the family life
cycle and give two characteristics of each.
c. State three negative effects of child labor on a child. (2004)
14 a. Explain three traditional roles of mothers
b. Give five reasons why mothers work outside the home
c. Explain three disadvantages of mothers working
outside the home.
d. State three ways by which the burden of housekeeping on the mother can be reduced (2005)
15.a. Explain four ways in which a family can attain a
successful life.
b. State four responsibilities children have towards
their parents
c. State four (4) duties that children perform at home (2006)
16.a. What is the main difference between a polygamous marriage and a monogamous marriage?
b. State three factors that will contribute to
(i) A successful marriage
(ii) An unsuccessful marriage (2008)
17.a. Explain five factors that contribute to failure
in a marriage (2009).
External Links:
- How to Foster Strong Family Relationships
- The Importance of Family Values in Modern Society
- Understanding Different Family Structures
- Effective Communication Strategies for Families
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