(SOCIAL STUDIES) PT 1 INDIVIDUAL FAMILY AND SOCIETY

Section A

# 1

In number one of section A we will talk about the family and the individual.
After reading this section it should be easy to:
* Grasp the concepts and terms associated with the family
* The Major Roles of the family
* Know the different family types
* Understand roles and responsibilities of sibling and adult/s within the family
* Give reasons for cause and effect of role changing in the family
* Observe the characteristics of effective parenting
* Explain the factors that helps in preparing for parenthood

Terms and Concept of the Family

A family is a group of people related through kinship or blood or in some cases through marriage.
Other relationships can be classified as family as well such as common-law marriage and consensual unions.
What makes a family different from a group is the fact that these individuals are related
by blood or by marriage, a group of unrelated people living together would be individuals sharing residence,
they would be called a group and not family.

Family Types and Unions

There are a wide number of family types that can be found within the Caribbean, these family types are:


* Nuclear Family
This is a family that consists of an adult couple whether married
or in a consensual union, living together with their children.



* Extended Family This family extends way beyond a nuclear family, this includes numerous generations
of family members living together under the same roof or close-by.



* Sibling HouseholdThe Sibling household is also a type of family, this is where the younger siblings are being
nurtured by their older brother or sister based on the absence of both parents.



* Single - Parent Family A single parent family is a family with only one parent present, this could be for various reasons.



* Blended or Re organised Family A blended Family consists of both adult couple with children from previous relationship into their new family.


Changing Family structures
There are various types of family structures within these aforementioned family types such as the passing down of the ethnic heritage.


The African-Caribbean family structure carries the grandmother which plays a dominant role in the household. The important role played by mothers within this family shows the matrifocal nature of most African countries around the world which are based on matriarchal lines. 

The Indian-Caribbean family structure comes from the Indian culture where the father
head of the household.The father chooses his daughter's husband, this kind of family shows the
patrifocal nature within the Indian family.


The Chinese Caribbean family structure normally practice their language in keeping with their Chinese tradition



Unions within the Caribbean

Legal Marriage

This can be defined as a union between two persons recognizable by law. Customarily the couple shares the same dwelling.There are different types of legal marriages,these are:
Monogamy is when a person has one husband or wife, however when someone is involved with more than one husband or wife this is known as polygamy.

A woman having more than one husband is known as polyandry and a man having more than one wife is known as polygyny.

Common law / Consensual Unions
This Union is when two persons live together as a couple and has sexual relations but is not married.

Visiting Relationships
This type of union is one where the couple does not live together but instead visits each other's residents.