All in the Family February 23rd 2015

The Oxford Dictionary definition of a nuclear family is “a couple and their dependent children, regarded as a basic social unit.” Many modern families can fall under this broad definition. My family would be an example of a nuclear family: my mom, my dad, my brother and me. But there are also modern families that do not fall under this definition. Examples of this would be a single parent family, or families without children. How do gender roles differ in different types of families? In a nuclear family, it is typical that the male is the breadwinner so to speak; he goes to work everyday and is the major supporter of the family. The female may stay home to take care of the children and the household, or could possibly work part time. The children are completely dependent on their parents. Lets take a look at modern families that may not fall under the definition of nuclear family. In a single parent home for example, the one parent must complete both roles of breadwinner and housekeeper. They much support their children on their own. They are in the same roles as those in a nuclear family, but there is only one parent to do those things compared to two. In a home that has no children, there is no one to be dependent on the parents; therefore the adults have more liberty. How do families that “look” different compare to nuclear families? Is a gay couple with children a nuclear family? I would say absolutely! There is a couple, and their children are dependent on them. They are a social unit. Therefore, they are a nuclear family. The definition of nuclear family is so broad that I believe there are few exceptions to this definition. The definition also does not include specific gender role, therefore if a female is the breadwinner and the male takes care of the children and the home, they are still considered a nuclear family. This idea is something is the theme of the article Dad-Mom Role Reversal by Sarah Eckel. This article presented a very interesting look on the reversed roles of males and females in a family unit. The article goes on to explain how transitioning from a working father to a stay at home dad is a difficult one for most fathers. Men with traditional views of gender role will find it very hard to take on the brunt of the housework. It is something that they aren’t used to, and often need praise when completing. So you see how this can be unfair. When a female takes care of all the housework, she usually receives no praise, because it is something her husband believes she is responsible for. But when it comes down to a man completing this work praise is almost necessary for them to be motivated to continue. They also tend to spend less time completing the same tasks women do. But all is not lost. When men accept that this is what they have to be doing to keep the family unit moving forward, they will step up and do the things they need to do. (Hopefully!!)