CHANGING PATTERNS IN FAMILY LIFE-DEMOGRAPHY+DIVERSITY

Question 1

Discuss experiences of asian family life

Answer 1

Common household structure:nuclear family,extended families or vertical extended families (3 or more generations living in the sae household together)

• Common as it is due to acceptance of traditional values.Asian people are likely to be devoutly religious and still accept practices like arranged marriage etc.Cohabitation still frowned upon
• Asian people tend to marry younger which could explain why their families tend to be bigger as women have children from an earlier age

Question 2

Discuss experiences of black family life

Answer 2

Common household structure:single parenthood rates are far higher in this group

• common because women found they could manage their family independently, known as modern individualism
• Not socialised into the belief that they need to settle into a relationship in order to be happy and single parenthood has been normalised
• Black women found their fathers of their children were unreliable due to employment or promiscuous behaviour
• stats on lone parenthood within black community don’t paint an accurate picture of hat life is like for such women.Known as matriarchal culture:culture made up of strong and supportive women who look out for each other
• Therefore women raising their children without a partner aren’t really ‘alone’ because they are supported by other women

Question 3

Discuss natural change and diversity affecting changing patterns in family life

Answer 3

CHANGES TO EXTENDED FAMILY LIFE
-deciling birth rates and longer life expectancy of older people the extended family is making a comeback but in a different way
-Dispersed or modified extended family is now common:a situation whereby people maintain close connections with their extended kin but without actually living with them
-Changes have occurred due to technological cages and geographical mobility
-Higher life expectancy means people have long term relationships with their grandparents in teens or maybe adulthood.People also may form relationships with great grandparents today too
-Beanpole families are the social norm
CLASS DIFFERENCES IN EXTENDED FAMILY SUPPORT
-middle class family support is largely financial, usually male relatives who maintain the closest contacts with one another
EG-purchasing properties,male with a family looking for a home lean their father for advice
-Working class family support is largely domestic, usually female relatives who maintain connections
EG-childcare,new mothers rely on other female members to help them
DUTY AND OBLIGATION TO EXTENDED FAMILIES
-90% of relatives have given/received financial support within their extended families
-50% have provided care to sick/elderly relatives
-Sense of obligation is more challenging because majoiry of men and women are in paid employment until quite late in life->creates a burden for people who struggle to manage the responsibilities they have
CHEAL:
women who are still regarded as being the ideal caregiver within a family and therefore more likely than men to be expected to provide care
led to pivot generation of middle aged women:juggle care of older relatives and also younger relatives