FAMILY:
A family is a group of people related to each other by blood, marriage or authority, they live together, forming an economic unit. They have children and they raise them. Apart from these duties, the family performs the services of love and moral cooperation in the society.
With
regard to family relationships, the family is divided into two parts.
i-Family of orientation.
ii-Family of procreation.
i:- FAMILY OF ORIENTATION:
Family of origin means that a person is born in a family. He sets his direction in this family. In these groups an individual learns from others and acts in an effective way.
ii:-
FAMILY OF PROCREATION:
When the individual reaches the second level, a family is
formed, by the process of reproduction,
which gives rise to a new family. That is, the process of getting
married and giving birth to children.
Marriage gives two adults (a man and a woman) the legal
right to form a family. This family system exists in societies around the world
and each society maintains them according to its own rules and regulations. For
example, in the United States of America, monogamy is legal, while in many
other countries, such as the Middle East, polygamy is also acceptable. In this
way according to the societies families come into being.
IMPORTANCE
OF FAMILY:
Following are some views regarding the role of the family
and its members in the field of sociology.
(i)-Functionalist
perspective:
In the opinion of sociologists, the family plays a very
important role for the social stability of the society and it is necessary too.
(ii)-
Conflict and Feminist Aspects:
Some other sociologists believe that families are the
cause of social inequality and strife. These conflicts are over values, goals,
authority, and access or distribution of resources. According to them, families
create difficulties and increase dissatisfaction.
(iii)- Modernity and Family Duties:
Some sociologists express the idea that people are
becoming so independent that they are not ready to accept the restrictions
imposed on them by any institution. In the early days, women were expected to
stay inside the home, take care of the household and take care of the children.
But in today's age women and men have agreed that they will share the burden of
work outside and inside the home.
Besides this, an additional structure has been added to
the family model and that is the structure in which one of the parents (man or
woman) brings up the children. And the other performs external duties.
Unfortunately in such families the divorce ratio have increased.
(iv)- Preliminary question. Self identity:
who am I? Who do I belong to? What is my identity and
personality due to? And what is my origin? Mankind has needed to know these
questions from the beginning. Answers are being made and are being made. If
someone asks, we will tell our names and those of our ancestors. One can also
mention the name of a well-known and famous person among the ancestors. They
will also tell the name of the place where they were born and where they live.
All these questions and answers are related to our family, environment or
neighborhood and society. Thus the first identification is with the family.
(iv)- Important duty of the family:
All of us belong to some family and family is the basic unit of society. The basic unit in which we learn to live in harmony with other people. Family teaches social etiquette in various ways through which we learn to live harmoniously with people. In the same unit or family moral values and social rules and regulations are taught.
(vi)-
Family – the bedrock of social life:
Man is a social being or a being living by forming a
society who cannot live in isolation. His needs are related to other human
beings as well. Therefore, rules and regulations are made and implemented to
improve collective social life. These rules are called moral rules. Apart from
this, there are also legal regulations, violation of which can send a person to
jail. Apart from these, there are also some moral and religious rules which are
related to the external and internal, the violation of which apparently has no
punishment, but as human beings we are also responsible for such matters. The
closest court to this is our inner self or our conscience. If these moral rules
are not followed, then surely a lot of damage is done. Our parents and family
are our first teachers. Family relationships in our society
is very important. Two or more than two, generations live in the same house as a joint
family. However, the joint family system is breaking now but it is not too much
to say that the joint family system provides more protection and well balanced
life style.
ADVANTAGES OF FAMILY:
Joint family has many advantages. Children, old and young people live in the same house, among them there are weak and sick as well as strong. Everyone cares for each other. This gives them a sense of security. The trend of small family is increasing nowadays based on various reasons. They are called nuclear family. A small family consists of mother, father and children. Earlier observations showed that children raised in joint families tended to have more balanced personalities because joint families provide a complete and balanced environment in which children could grow in the right direction.
Family environment plays a very important role in a
child's development.
*The
family shapes the child's physical, mental and emotional potentials.
*Emotional attachments are strong in childhood and this is possible only in the family.
*Family provides children with security and confidence which plays an important role in facing difficult situations throughout life.
*Whether the family is a joint family or a short family,
the important thing is how much time the family members give to the children
raised in the family. It means that how much time is given to the children in a
family by mother, father, sisters,
brothers, grandfather, grandmother, and even aunts and uncles. The better
development and security of children is based on the care a family provides to
the children.
*If the parents listen to the children and answer their
questions, then the children realize their importance. This starts their
personal thinking. This is the first psychological step of analytical and
scientific development, in human life.
:-ACCORDING TO A GREAT PHILOSOPHER “ARISTOTLE”:
“The natural institution family was created to fulfill our daily needs.”
In fact, the family as an institution came into being
when people recognized the interdependence of men, women and other people. The
family as an institution became stronger with civilization and cultural
development. Changes have been taking place in its form and structure. Although
today's changes are happening more rapidly, but the essential role of the
family is as same as it has always been. The use of TV and Internet has brought
the world into a global village. Or perhaps it can be said that the inner world
of man (which consumes resources) has become larger. But there is no room for
doubt that the importance of the influential role of family and family
relations has remained in place and has not diminished.
Children should remember that what parents teach them and
impose certain discipline and restrictions on them is for their own
benefit. If the children do not
understand this, then a kind of rebellious feeling develops in them, which can
lead to destruction in their future life.
:-The Specific Functions of the Family:
The following are the special duties of the family:
(i)- The family acts as a regulator of sexual behavior.
(ii)- The family adds new members to the society by the
birth of children.
(iii)- Family provides resources for economic and
emotional stability of members.
(iv)- Family provides opportunities of early socialization for children.
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