FAMILY:GCSE SOCIOLOGY

• NUCLEAR: married parents and their biological children.
• RECONSTITUTED: when 2 adults re-marry and bring children from a previous relationship into this new family (step-family).
• LONE PARENT: one parent bringing up their children alone.
• SAME SEX: same gender parents with their own children or adopted children.
• EMPTY NEST: when all children from a family leave home.
• BEANPOLE: families that are having fewer children but people are living longer.
• NEO-CONVENTIONAL: a nuclear family leaded by a couple who are living together, or married and both working.
• CO-HABITING:couple living together but not married.
• PATRIARCHAL: when the male dominates the family.
• SYMMETRICAL: where both parents take an equal share in in jobs.
• EXTENDED: family consisting of parents and children along with either grandparetns or aunts and uncles.

REMEMBER RePEE!!!

Re=reproduction: produces the next generation of workers and regulates sexual behaviour. BUT now reproduction does not need a couple living together in marriage, couples may choose to adopt, cohabit have surrogate parents and IVF.

P=primary socialisation: parents teach norms and values. BUT young children go to nurseries, nannies and childminders where they are taught basic norms and values.

E=emotional support:stable family life gives us support keeping us happy. BUT now people get professional help from doctors, counsellors etc if they feel down.  

E=economic support:help finanically within the family. BUT now the benefit system helps those who do not have enough money.

• FUNCTIONALISM: see the family as POSITIVE for society as the nuclear family performs for the good of society.
• NEW RIGHT: see the family as NEGATIVE for society if it is not a nuclear family BUT see single parent and same sex families as bad for society.
•  MARXISM: see family as NEGATIVE for society. Believe that the family socialises the wroking class to accept that it is fair the classes are UNEQUAL.
• FEMINISM: see family as NEGATIVE for society. Believe that the family is male dominated= PATRIARCHAL.

• MORE PEOPLE CO-HABITING: less people practice religion, more people divorcing, living together as a trial.
• MORE SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES: divorce act 1960 made it easier to obtain a divorce,more teen pregnancies, less stigma, IVF without a man.
• MORE SAME SEX FAMILIES: more socially acceptable, intro of civil partnership agreement, can adopt.
• SMALLER HOUSEHOLE SIZE: women living longer than men, yuonger women choosing career over family, more infertility.

• rise in cohabitation.
• not so frowned upon not to be married with children.
• weddings are expensive.
• less people are religious.
• not seen as important.

• doesnt have the stigma it used to have.
• easier to get a divorce.
• religion is less important nowadays.
• women dont have to stay in an unhappy relationship etc.

BUT

people who divorce do sometimes re-marry so not rejecting marriage just thier partner.

rise in divorce means more single parents maybe better for kids to have a single parents rather than 2 fighting ones.

Parental roles :

• dad used to go out to wrok (breadwinner) not heavily involved with childcare or housework.
• mum used to stay at home (housewife).
• SEGREGATED CONJUGAL ROLES

NOW:

• dad works and helps with childcare.
• mum works and does childcare/housework.
• JOINT CONJUGAL ROLES

• TRIPLE SHIFT: women work, come home then do childcare and housework.
• DUAL BURDEN: women now work but tend to do most of the housework too, so in theory have 2 jobs.
• INVISIBLE WORK: women do jobs that arent really noticed like signing school letters etc.  

Today:

• relationships are less strict and chidlren are asked their opinions, more freedom.

Why?:

• more children survive infancy.
• parents have more choice about how many children they have.
• whole industry based around parenthood.

However:

• middle class children are more likely to be included in descision making.
• children are expected to help around the house.
• some children act as translators for their parents.  

• finanical burdern as older people need more help from NHS and benefit system.
• greater risk of poverty because thier pensions have to last.
• older person staying in family homes creates stress on housing market.

Positives of older people:

• valuable source of childcare.
• work for voluntary organisations.
• being old doesnt mean being ill.

• social policy is a descision made by Parliment to chnage or improve social conditions-enforced by law most of the time.
• most social policies appear directly or indirectly to supoort nuclear family.

For example policies like:

• mom and dad are entitled to PAID maternity and paternity leave whether married or not.
• working tax credit paid to families on a low income.

• COMMUNE: where groups of people live together and share all responsibilty of the tasks - including childcare.
• KIBBUTZ: israeli form of a commune. still around 300 exsist communities live  500 people together.
• CO-HOUSING: have own house but may share area to eat and area to socialise.