Nuclear families are families made up of mother, father and children. It is thought to be the ideal family unit to raise children in. However, just like other kinds of families it has its pros and cons.
The Pros of Nuclear Family
1. Stability And Strength
A family with two parents whether married or not normally tend to be stable compared to families with a single parent or several generational parents. The partners or spouses can cultivate a caring, supportive and loving relationship in the children. This will in turn be helpful in the kids’ future as it will teach them to look for positive relationships as well as interact with others positively. Children raised in a nuclear family will also learn to be accommodative and considerate since they have seen how the mother and father work together to solve any problem, assign household duties and also be there for one another in good and in bad times.
2. More Opportunity
Since nuclear families tend to have financial stability, the kids have plenty of opportunities and luxuries in life. The children might be able to attend gymnastics, dance, music or any other type of class one wishes to. Children presented with these opportunities are likely to perform better socially and academically as well as develop time management skills and confidence.
3. Behavior Successes
Besides stability, a nuclear family provides the children with consistency. Kids with both consistency and stability are likely to behave positively, perform well in school and be more involved in extracurricular and community activities.
The Cons of Nuclear Family
1. Isolated
This kind of family isolates people from relationships and other relatives. It breaks down the extended family which is not good as relatives are beneficial especially in times of hardship.
2. Burnout
Due to the fact that sometimes it can be one partner working, the tendency of that spouse burning out is likely as he/she tries very hard to make sure everyone’s needs are met. For instance, the mother can be cook, babysitters, maid and a time breadwinner. This will leave her not time to pamper and nurture herself.
3. Less Conflict Handling Skills
While the idea of less stress and conflict could be an advantage to nuclear family it can also be a disadvantage. Conflicts are part of life and skills to resolving them are beneficial in every aspect. Since people within a nuclear family tend to develop similar thinking habits this could create a problem if the person was to interact with people outside their unit particularly those with differing ideas and opinions.
Brandon Miller has a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a seasoned writer who has written over one hundred articles, which have been read by over 500,000 people. If you have any comments or concerns about this blog post, then please contact the Green Garage team here.