Entry nº 36: The idea of family life has changed

In the last 50 years or so the traditional family structure with the woman as a devoted housewife and the man as the breadwinner has changed almost completely, together with many other aspects of modern family life.
Large families are no longer economically possible or socially desired. Home is no longer the center of the wife’s life. The change in sex roles that can be recognized in society is closely connected to changes in the family. The traditional family structure in which man leads and woman follows constitutes only a small percentage of families nowadays. The roles for women have expanded, with more women in their workplace and with a variety of family structures with new roles for all members of the family. The prevalence of divorce has led to single parent and step-parent families, that can have a confusing, ofthen inconsistent and/or unreliable home base for children. The role of men as the master of the house has been replaced by the female authority of the mother. Parents are being more flexible and less authoritarian with their children. For fear of making mistakes, they do not establish the boundaries as they should. Parents leave the responsibility of their children’s behaviour up to their own judgement, encouraging them to settle their boundaries. Furthermore, children occupy an important role in the decisions taken at home.
But in many cases these changes can produce confusion and chaos. The fight for the dominant role between mom and dad can cause confusion and lack of respect among children. Apart form that, children as well as teenagers are not mature enough to settle their own boundaries, they need adult interaction and the guidance and supervision that only parents can provide. First of all husband and wife should work as a team, based on mutual understanding and sharing their ideas. They should develop a close relationship with their children based on love and understanding, but establishing the rules that must be obeyed in order to avoid misunderstandings and disrespect.
Although it is true that the idea of family life has clearly changed in the last 50 years, not all changes have been for the worse as many people think. There are some advantages and disadvantages that people must deal with in order to ensure a harmonious family environment.