topic 2 - Family Diversity - EXTENDED FAMILY TODAY

Question 1

Why is the extended family important today

Answer 1

WILLMOTT argues it continues to exist as a ‘dispersed extended family’ where relatives are geographically separated but maintain frequent contact through visits and phone calls

CHAMBERLAIN - found that Caribbean families, a,though geographically dispersed continued to provide support.
Describes them as multiple nuclear families, siblings, uncles, cousins etc provide valuable support in child r
Rearing.

Question 2

What did BELL previously find in Swansea?

Answer 2

MC and WC relied on winder kin for support
MC - more financial help from father and son
WC - frequent contact was domestic help from mothers to daughter.

BELLS research suggest beanpole family now important because
EXTENDED VERTICALLY - through these generations
NIT EXTENDED HORIZONTALLY - often doesn’t involve aunts, uncles, cousins etc

CHARLES - found that in Swansea was more continued contact between mothers and daughter than between siblings when there was a sharp decline

Question 3

Why are there more beanpole families?

Answer 3

Longer life expectancy- meaning more vertical ties with grandparents
Smaller family sizes - meaning fewer siblings and horizontal ties