
7 common family structures
In the last five decades, there has been a dramatic change in the structure of many families. Gone are the days when nuclear families were the only dominant kind in our country. Today, different family types have sprung up and are much more accepted. There are children from mixed families and those raised by single mothers in the same society. Broadly, researchers have identified seven common kinds of family structures. Nuclear family A nuclear family is also called a family of procreation or conjugal family. It is a traditional or elementary structure with two parents (common law or typically married) and their children. While the children could be adopted or biological, the primary idea is that parents raise their kids together in their homes. Unfortunately, there has been a constant decline in the number of nuclear families in the country, but they are still among the most common in industrial societies. One reason for this shift is that many people feel things do not work out in this setting. About 22 percent of people live in nuclear families today. Single-parent family As is apparent, one parent raises one or more kids in a single-parent family. The unit may comprise a single father with his kids, a single mother with her children, or a single person with kids.