Family
Family is the most ancient institution. When a husband and wife live together
after a socially recognized marriage system, this is called a family. In other
words, the organization which grows through marriage between one or more than
one male and female, including their children, parents, and other members, is
called family.
According to Mclver, the family is the small social unit that gives birth to
children and raises them. In our country, generally family comprises of
mother-father, brother-sister, uncle-aunt, and grandfather-grandmother. But
only one female or one male is not recognized as a family. Essentially, the
family is a social unit in which its members are tied together with the
bondages of affection, attachment, and love.
Classification of Family
We all live in the family. But the nature and structure of families are not
homologous. Therefore, a family can be classified based on some principles.
For instance,
a) lineage count and leadership,
b) family structure and
c) marital status.
a) Lineage Count and Leadership: Family can be divided into two types
based on this principle, such as patriarchal and matriarchal. In the
patriarchal families, posterity is identified in line with the father’s
lineage and the father leads that family.
Most of the family in our country are of this type. On the contrary, posterity
is identified in matriarchal family with the lineage of mother and mother
takes the lead in that family. This type of family exists amongest Garos in
our country.
b) Family Structure: Family can be classified into two types according
to the structure. They are nuclear and extended family. The nuclear family
consists of a mother-father and brother-sister. These families aer small in
size. In the extended famlies, father-mother, brother-sister, uncle-aunt, and
other members live together. Extended families are large families. Both types
of families are seen in Bangladesh. However, at present, the number of nuclear
families is on the rise. An extended family consists of several nuclear
families.
c) Marital Status: Three types of families are noticed according to the
principle of marriage. They are monogamous, polygamous, and polyandrous. In a
monogamous family, one husband has one wife. In a polygamous family, one
husband has several, in most families, a wife possesses more than one husband.
These types of families are not seen in Bangladesh.
Functions of a Family
A family performs manifold functions to make its members’ lives beautiful and
safe. Generally, a family has the following functions:
Biological functions: As our parents get married, we are born and
raised by them. So one of the main functions of a family is to reproduce
children and raise them accordingly. These functions are called biological
functions.
Educative Functions: Many of us become familiar with the alphabet before going
to school. Family provides the first opportunity to learn values from its
members such as honesty, etiquette, kindness, and punctuality. These are the
educative functions of a family. Thus the children in the family receive their
primary education. Therefore, family is called the eternal school or the first
school of life.
Economic Functions: A family has to meet the demands of its members,
such as food, clothing, shelter, education, medical treatment, and the like.
These demands are met with income earned by family members. The economic
functions of a family include handicrafts, fishing, agriculture, animal
husbandry, and so on. The spheres of functions of a family have changed due to
splendid progress in science and technology and new employment opportunity has
been created. In some spheres, it has been abated. However, a family still
meets the needs of its members.
Political Functions: In a family, parents, and elder siblings act as
guardians. We obey their instructions and guidance. They play their role in
protecting our rights. They inculcate intelligence, conscience, and
self-control into us and help us to become good citizens. This education
becomes worthy at a later stage in the affairs of the state. The children in a
family thereby receive political education by obeying family education and
rules. Besides, we become politically conscious by listening to and taking
part in discussions with the elders in the family.
Psychological Functions: A family fulfills the psychological needs of
its members by giving them love, affection, and kind behavior. By sharing weal
and woes, happiness, and sadness with other members of the family, the members
find solace. Say, if anyone gets upset for some reason, it can be sorted out
of discussion helps wipe out mental agony. Besides, children learn kindness,
tolerance, and fellow-feeling from family. These enrich their mental strength.
Entertainment Functions: By having a chat, sharing jokes, singing
songs, watching TV, and going out, family members enjoy their time. Due to
progress in science and technology, these kinds of functions have been
somewhat reduced. However, to ensure the maximum welfare of the family
members, the importance of these functions is enormous.
