Advantages and Disadvantages of the Extended Family

?

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Extended Family

Advantages

  • Good support system - having multiple family members from different generations living in the same household or nearby means that there is more financial and emotional support if a problem occurs. There are more people looking out for each other and easy access to help or free childcare if parents are busy or if someone gets ill.
  • Environmental benefits - if the extended family all live under one roof, there is less of an impact on climate change and global warming because less non-renewable resources are being used to power electricity and for other purposes. The family has a lower carbon footprint.
  • Good financial situation - having a multigenerational family or living with more working adults means that the cost of food, loans, electricity etc. will be shared around. This makes the overall cost of living a lot cheaper, making it easier for the family to lead a happy and healthy life, without as much financial strain.
  • Wider relationships - grandparents get to see their grandchildren grow up and all members of the family will likely have good social skills and be able to understand and communicate with people of different ages.
  • Helping each other - there is always access to help or advice in an extended family and always a person that a child may feel comfortable talking to.

Disadvantages

  • Financial issues - if there are only two or only one working adult in a large household such as an extended family there are more mouths to feed and the situation could get tough. A single salary can't often support that many people, especially if a lot of them are adults.
  • Differences in opinion - adults from different generations might have different views on the best ways to raise a child, for example, and this might cause arguments and tension. This would not be a very stable way for a child to grow up as they might not see good relationships between their parents and grandparents, which could affect their relationships in the future.
  • Lack of privacy - everything is shared with the whole family pretty much, so there's not much way of keeping things private. Although in some cases it might be a good thing that other people know what is going on, other times, people might simply want some personal space, which may not be possible in extended family households.

Evaluation

Overall, extended families have proven to be good for the development of a child, the environment and (in lots of cases) finances. On the other hand, having so many people under one roof can lead to tension and a lack of privacy, which could prove slightly problematic. On the whole, however, there are many more positives than negatives when it comes to living as an extended family.

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Religious Studies resources:

See all Religious Studies resources »See all Marriage and Relationships resources »