Man, as a social being, needs constant communication with others. In order to live fully, many of us need to have a family. In social science, a family is understood as a small social group based on marital relations, consanguinity, mutual responsibility, and intimacy. In addition, it is an important social institution that performs many functions. Let's find out what families are like and how they differ from each other.
Functions of the family as a social institution
The main functions of the family include:
- reproductive, that is, procreation;
- education and training, socialization;
- maintenance and provision of family members (household and economics);
- spiritual and emotional development of family members;
- organization of joint recreation and family activities.
In the modern world, there is a distortion of the work of the family, its dysfunction and degradation as an institution. The current state of the family is characterized as a crisis. The main problems and difficulties include:
- decreased birth rate;
- an increase in the number of divorces;
- devaluation of family values, including in relation to raising children;
- an increase in the number of low-income and single-parent families;
- deterioration in the health of children and spouses;
- changing family roles;
- increase in domestic violence.
Structural and functional changes in the institution of the family have led to a breakdown in the traditional parent-child relationship. There is a decrease in the role of family education. More often, the functions of the family are assigned to other social institutions. Which, in my opinion, is not true and leads to qualitative and quantitative negative changes in society.
Family functioning is in turn influenced by:
- cultural norms and values;
- economic sphere of society;
- demographic changes;
- government institutions;
- physiological processes;
- psychological dynamics of intrafamily relationships.
It is worth noting that no other social institution can fully replace the family. As well as correcting the mistakes, consequences and pedagogical neglect of those generations who grow up during the crisis of the social institution of the family.
Therefore, it is important to talk about what a family should be like for the successful socialization of the child and its other members. And, of course, change the situation.
Value aspect
Family values cannot be described in words. The easiest way is to use a child as an example. The first word he says is “mom,” he takes his first steps, learns the alphabet, and gets to know the world. And all this with the help of parents who give him everything they have - tenderness, affection, love, skills, knowledge.
It is the family that instills moral guidelines, passes on traditions, and promotes knowledge of the world around us. The importance of family relationships is invaluable to a child; he cannot even realize how important a full family is for him until he grows up.
The same applies to adults. For everyone, family and home are two fundamental concepts that help not to go astray. This is emotional, material, moral support that cannot be replaced by other public institutions.
Core Values
Family types
There are 3 types of families that have different influences on the social development and formation of the child’s personality.
- Families are close-knit, harmonious, with a high degree of moral orientation. These are socially prosperous families who can and want to raise a child. In case of any difficulties, it is easy to help them.
- Families are coordinated, but periodically unstable, with an average degree of social and moral orientation. These families are preoccupied with their own internal conflicts, so they would like to raise their children, but they cannot always (it does not always work out). Relationships within the family are tense. Parents make many mistakes, the goals of education are seen vaguely, the methods and means of education are not fully understood and are not used to their full extent.
- Families are disorganized, conflict-ridden, with a low degree of social and moral orientation. These are “problem” families. Are asocial or antisocial. There are several subtypes of such families: outwardly calm families, volcano family, sanatorium family, illusion family, “third wheel” family, family with an idol, masquerade family.
Prosperous and dysfunctional families
A person’s entire future life is shaped according to how his parents treated him and each other. Parents are constantly open and must monitor themselves every second and be aware of their parental pedagogical responsibilities. Whether they want it or not, the child systematically correlates his parents’ teachings with their way of life.
Based on the type of relationship, we can distinguish prosperous and dysfunctional families. I propose to get acquainted with this material in the form of a table.
| Group of families | Subgroup | Characteristics of parental attitude |
| Prosperous families | Understanding | Parents accept the child, do not try to change, always try to understand his point of view and build a dialogue. Parents really evaluate themselves and their child. They can protect the child and meet all his needs. |
| Patronizing | Parents adequately evaluate themselves and the child, clearly understand his needs and abilities, but retain the position of leader and power. They do not enter into dialogue and believe that they always have the last word. | |
| Indifferent | Parents only care about the external picture of the family and child. They know little of his inner world and do not want to know more. Children from such families are always outwardly prosperous, but in reality the parents are more busy with their own problems than with their children’s. | |
| Dysfunctional families | Overwhelming | The main methods are prohibitions and orders. The child is rejected. Child-parent relationships are unstable. Although parents believe that they know their child, they cannot predict his behavior. |
| Alarming | Parents are anxious and unsure of themselves and do not know their children. Because of their own insecurity, they are often cruel. Relationships are contradictory. | |
| Detached | Parents are critical in their judgments and adamant, often harsh, and never enter into dialogue. They place increased demands and expectations on the child. At the same time, they are strongly attached to the child. | |
| Rejectors | There is no focus on the child, it’s as if he doesn’t exist. Parents emotionally reject the child and are not interested in his problems or inner world. They don’t know their child well, but, oddly enough, they adequately assume his behavior. |
According to educational potential
Based on the level of educational potential, the following types of families can be distinguished.
Educationally strong family
The educational capabilities of such a family are close to optimal. Attention is paid to the microclimate in the family, the nature of the relationships between its members and the style of family education that has a beneficial effect on the child.
Educationally sustainable
Overall favorable educational opportunities. Emerging difficulties are overcome with the help of other social institutions, such as schools.
Educationally unstable
The incorrect pedagogical position of parents is characteristic. For example, overprotection, authoritarianism, connivance, etc. But at the same time, this position is easily closed and corrected. That is, the educational potential of the family is great, but the results of education require correction in relation to parents and children.
Educationally weak, with loss of contact with children and control over them
Families in which parents, for certain reasons, are not able to raise their children properly. For example, poor health, excessive workload, lack of education and pedagogical culture. Conflicts as such are not noticed, but there is a constant loss of family influence on children. Often the child goes into an informal subculture.
Within this group, several more types can be distinguished:
- educationally weak with a constantly conflicting atmosphere or aggressively negative;
- marginal, that is, families with any social deformations and deviations;
- delinquent;
- criminal;
- psychologically burdened family.
What is family - its importance in human life
Have you ever thought about what a family is?
What is its meaning and what significance does it have in your life? From the school curriculum we remember that “the family is the social unit of society.” It is intuitively clear that a person is a social being, which means he always strives to be part of a group (class, team, friends, interest group, party). Few people are able to enjoy constant solitude. Probably only avid introverts.
Most are afraid of being alone in life and build close connections with people - this is due to the structure of our psyche at the level of instincts - what is it? It turns out that family is one of the ways to “be with someone, someone’s” in this world? Let's take a closer look.
Parental authority
The effectiveness of the family as a pedagogical system and social institution depends on the level of parental authority. Speaking about the authority of parents, I would like to turn to the theory and classification of the great teacher A. S. Makarenko.
The author highlighted true authority, which implies:
- a decent life for parents;
- decent work for parents;
- their behavior;
- their knowledge of the child's life;
- helping a child;
- a sense of responsibility for raising a child;
- civilian parents.
At the same time, Makarenko identified several false authorities that have a detrimental effect on the child and family relationships.
- Suppression. The child begins to lie, becomes cowardly and cruel.
- Distance. The family is ultimately of no value to the child.
- Swagger. The child grows into an arrogant and authoritarian person.
- Pedantry. The child becomes passive and submissive.
- Reasoning. The child becomes alienated from the family and, possibly, the entire society.
- Bribe. Raises an immoral conformist.
- "Love". Unreal parental love cultivates deceit and selfishness in the child.
- "Kindness". The same “kindness” brings up an authoritarian and selfish person.
- "Friendship". Trying to become best friends leads to the formation of a cynical and unprincipled child.
Typology
To become familiar with family typology, you need to study the following table:
| Number of generations | Extended: several generations | Nuclear: two generations | |
| Number of parents | Complete, both parents | Part-time, one parent | |
| Number of children | Childless | Single child | Large family |
| By type of dominance | Patriarchal, male lead | Matriarchal, leading woman | Equality |
| By type of marriage | Polygamy, polygamy, polyandry | Monogamous, one spouse | |
Thus, the type of family depends on many indicators. It is not only the number of children that matters, but also the type of dominance .
If several centuries ago families were predominantly patriarchal , with the man taking the leading role, now the relationship between spouses is equal.
The role of a woman in the family has changed, she has many more rights, and responsibilities are shared equally with her husband.
The number of parents in a family also plays a role: if a child is raised by only one parent, and not two, it cannot be considered complete. Only if there are both parents in the family, the family is complete .
Pedagogical culture of parents
The pedagogical culture of parents is a separate, powerful factor influencing the style and type of upbringing, and, accordingly, the development of the child. An abnormal atmosphere in the family often contributes to the formation of anger, aggressiveness, deceit, or, on the contrary, isolation, passivity, and timidity. Such manifestations in the child’s behavior indicate a weakening of protective psychological mechanisms.
- An unfavorable family environment and the child’s internal personal negative traits together create loose soil under the child’s feet; he becomes vulnerable to external influence and antisocial behavior.
- Children from disadvantaged families with a low level of pedagogical environment grow up cynical about the world; they are proud of their immoral actions and ignorance of generally accepted values.
I would like to introduce you, dear readers, to the levels of pedagogical culture of parents.
High level
Awareness of the goals and objectives of education
Parents are aware of the goal of education (the formation of a harmoniously developed, socially active personality), understand what areas education consists of, and imagine what personality traits need to be formed at each age stage of the child’s development.
Ability to cooperate with children
The requirements are reasonable, love and severity are in adequate proportions. Relationships are built on mutual respect and trust. Problems are solved together through situation analysis.
Mastery of parenting methods
Parents focus on the child’s positive qualities, provide him with initiative, support independence, encourage introspection and self-education, and teach him to overcome difficulties. Parents and other family members adhere to a single educational position.
Average level
Awareness of the goals and objectives of education
They understand the directions of education, but do not connect them with the main goal. They imagine what traits need to be formed, but do not always correctly associate them with the child’s age.
Ability to cooperate with children
The requirements are reasonable, but not systematic. Parents often take the initiative in solving problems. There is mutual respect in the family, but the parents do not want to move towards cooperation and try to maintain a dominant role.
Mastery of parenting methods
Parents focus on the child’s positive qualities, but do not provide him with initiative, do not prepare him to solve problems, independently overcome difficulties and self-improvement. Sometimes in a family there is a discrepancy in the educational position of parents, grandparents.
Low level
Awareness of the goals and objectives of education
Parents do not know the goals and objectives of education, do not understand the direction, and do not know what traits need to be formed. Sometimes they can imagine these traits abstractly, but not in relation to their child.
Ability to cooperate with children
Children and parents do not understand each other, do not respect each other, do not trust each other. Requirements from parents are of an everyday nature. Parents are not interested in the child's problems.
Mastery of parenting methods
Authoritarian methods predominate: order, instruction, demand, punishment. Parents either suppress the child’s initiative or, on the contrary, provide uncontrolled freedom. They don’t pay attention to the child’s positive traits. There is no single educational concept in the family; the behavior of family members varies from permissiveness to excessive punishment.
Obviously, the higher the level of parental pedagogical culture, the more favorable the relationship is for the family and the child.
By the way, the family may not know the pedagogical subtleties, but by their own successful example they can raise a harmonious personality.
Briefly about traditions
Family traditions are the norms, principles of behavior, views, and customs adopted in the family that are passed on from the older generation to the younger. The presence of a paradigm for such phenomena is a sign that relationships within the family union are being built in a healthy and fulfilling manner.
However, this is not the only importance of family customs. This is also part of a large-scale mechanism for transferring the foundations of life, morality, relationships between people to the next generation, transferring the laws of intrafamily interaction, rules, laws, principles of relationships. They are transformed and supplemented by their own intra-family elements.
List of family traditions
Despite the fact that throughout the existence of the family, marriage and family traditions were gradually replaced by unified requirements and changed due to changes in the environment, principles of education, and social structures, many managed to preserve monumental customs and pass them on to their descendants.
Today, young people are returning to traditions and are beginning to take an interest in their roots and the origins of their ancestors. This may be due to the disunity of people, with the spread of “online life”, in which there is no connection to reality and historicity.
Traditions help to bring relatives closer together, making a family a family, and not just a group of people united by blood or marriage.
Basics of family education
Ultimately, the peculiarity of family functioning comes down to 4 components: parental control, parental requirements, ways of communicating with the child and emotional support. But everything is good in moderation.
Parental control
With sufficient control, parents maintain authority in the eyes of their children and are consistent in their actions. Adequate control – prevention of addictions and aggressiveness.
Parental requirements
Adequate demands develop the maturity of children. With the help of demands, parents support their children’s right to autonomy and independence. Helps develop children's intellectual, emotional and social abilities.
Ways to communicate with your child
It is good to use persuasion and explanation. But at the same time, be ready to listen to the children’s arguments and understand their point of view, and discuss all options.
Emotional support
Parents' emotions should contribute to the psychophysiological and personal growth of children. This is possible through compassion, love and warmth. As a result, parents are proud of their child and satisfied with their own activities.
An adequate model of parental behavior: a combination of emotional acceptance and high demands (requirements are clear, consistent, consistent).
Children from such families are distinguished by developed self-control and social competence. They are active, independent, adapt well to school and in communication, are proactive, friendly, and show empathy.
Amount of children
Based on the number of children, there are three types of families.
- A childless family consists of spouses who do not have or do not want to have children.
- A small family is distinguished by the presence of one or two children.
- A large family includes three or more children.
Rice. 1. Large family.
Forms of marriage
Until recently, it was possible to become a real and recognized family only after registering a marriage. Currently, a lot has changed in people's minds, so today, not only the one concluded in the registry office (church) is considered a marriage. There are several varieties:
- Church. The spouses swear love and fidelity “before God.” Previously, only such a marriage was considered valid; now, most often, immediately after official registration, some couples prefer to get married in a church.
- Civil marriage. It is registered in the registry office; the main types of families arise precisely after its conclusion.
- Actual. Partners simply live together without formalizing their relationship. As a rule, such marriages have no legal force and are not recognized in many countries.
- Morganatic marriage. Family formation by people of different social levels.
- Temporary union. In some countries, it is quite common and is concluded according to a marriage contract for a certain period.
- Fictitious marriage. Partners, as a rule, do not plan to create a real family; there is only material or legal benefit.
- Polygyny. When a man officially has several wives. In Russia such marriages are prohibited.
- Same-sex marriage. Some countries have passed laws allowing same-sex marriage.
