Main concepts

• define classic extended family

  A multi-generational family where relatives (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles) live together or nearby, maintaining strong ties and support systems. Traditionally common in pre-industrial societies.
• Define Beanpole family

  A vertically extended family with fewer children per generation but strong intergenerational ties, leading to a long and thin family structure (e.g., grandparents, parents, and children but fewer aunts, uncles, or cousins).
• Define nuclear family

  A two-generation family consisting of parents and their dependent children, often seen as the traditional family structure in Western societies.
• Define a Reconstituted Family (Blended Family

  A family where one or both partners have children from previous relationships, forming a new household (e.g., stepfamilies).
• Define a Symmetrical Family

  A family type identified by Young and Willmott, where roles between men and women are more equal and shared, with both partners contributing to paid work, housework, and childcare.
• Define A Matriarchal Family

  A family structure where the mother or female figure has primary authority in decision-making, finances, and household leadership.
• Define a patriarchal family

  A family where the father or male figure holds dominant authority over decision-making, finances, and family structure, often reinforcing traditional gender roles.
• Define a Civil Partnership

  A legal union between two people (originally same-sex couples, now available to heterosexual couples), offering legal rights and responsibilities similar to marriage.
• Define a single-Parent Family

  A family where one parent (mother or father) raises children alone due to divorce, separation, death, or choice.
• (different societies) nayar tribe

  a traditional society in Southwest India, where women had multiple sexual partners (polyandry) and biological fathers had no role in child-rearing. Instead, maternal uncles or extended kin provided economic and social support for children.
• (different societies) Communes

  a form of alternative living where a group of unrelated people share property, work, and childcare collectively. Communes promote egalitarian relationships and reject the traditional nuclear family structure.
• (different societies) Kibbutz

  a collective community in Israel where children were historically raised communally, with group childcare instead of being raised solely by biological parents. The emphasis was on shared responsibility, equality, and collective living.
• (different societies) Lone Parent Families

  A family structure where a single parent raises children due to divorce, separation, death, or choice. They often face financial strain and increased responsibility but may also challenge traditional gender roles.
• (different societies) Gay and Lesbian Families

  Same-sex couples raising children through adoption, surrogacy, or previous relationships. These families challenge heteronormative family structures but increasingly gain legal recognition and social acceptance.
• (different societies) Foster Care and Children's Homes

  alternative care arrangements for children who cannot live with their biological parents, often due to abuse, neglect, or family breakdown. Foster care places children with temporary families, while children's homes provide institutional care with professional staff.