Function of family
Family
A
family is a group of two or more individuals related by marriage, birth, or adoption who live together, and all such related individuals are considered members of the same family.
The family performs a number of
functions in society. An individual and society at large are highly
dependent upon the family for the fulfilment of basic requirements. If the needs of the individual and society are not fulfilled properly. The survival of both will be
at risk. The function of the family is of great significance. The important
function of the family is as follows:
Biological Function: The family
performs the following biological function.
Sexual
Gratification: The first and foremost function of the family is sexual gratification
of husband and wife in an orderly and socially approved manner.
Procreation
of children: The next biological function of a family is the procreation of children
to continue the family, lineage, clan and their ethnic group.
Breastfeeding
and caring: After the procreation of children, the next biological function of the family is caring for the child through breastfeeding and then with supplementary food.
Supplementary feeding goes on even after the period of breastfeeding till a child
becomes young. The family looks after the child and helps him to enter from one
stage of life to another.
Maintenance
of health and hygiene: the family maintains the health and hygiene of family members, right from newborns to older ones. Physical care and protection a very
important biological functions of the family. It is said that the mother is the
first doctor who scientifically recognises the diseases of children and attempts
to care for them with folk medicine. When the folk medicine is not effective, she
visits doctors for the treatment of the diseases of children. The family nourishes
all members and provides food materials according to the requirements of different
age and sex groups and ill persons.
Social Function:
The
family performs a number of social functions. It socialises the child and makes
him a social being. It develops in him social qualities so that he can lead a
social life with prestige. The family controls the anti-social behaviour of its
members. The family provides name, lineage, descent, clan and title to the
member. The family makes members aware of their status in society.
The
family includes beliefs, attitudes, traditions, customs, habits, manners,
knowledge, art, moral values, etc. These cultural traits are transmitted from
one generation to the next.
The
family performs economic functions by meeting the requirements of food, clothing,
residence, division of labour, paternal occupation, treatment of diseases and
other requirements which are related to day-to-day expenditure. The family is a unit of production and a unit of consumption in a simple society. Family provides
assets and liabilities to dependents.
The
family performs religious functions. It makes members aware of Kul Devi
(Lineage Goddess) and Kul Devata (Lineage God). The manner of worship to them,
other deities of their religion, festivals, religious fairs and pilgrimage.
Father and mother observe fasts for the welfare of children and their overall
development.
The
family provides emotional support, security, and stability to its members. It
takes care of members in both good times and bad times.
The
family also performs an entertainment function. When a husband comes back from
work, his wife appears before him, laughing and offering food and water. Both
husband and wife play with their children in various types of games. They
tell stories of various types, sing songs, tell proverbs, riddle, and a member of
verbal and action jokes.
Educative function:
Educative
function, it is generally said that the education of children starts in the
family. The family is the primary school and the mother is its first teacher. A
child learns about the names of all family members, including different relations of
relatives, plants, animals, natural objects, and manmade objects. The very
important thing the child learns from their family is how to talk to someone, how
to respect anyone, basic cultural events, and civic sense.
The
family also performs a political function. Each family has a head who may be
generally husband. He represents his family in the village panchayat and other
ceremonial events, social and religious occasions. He takes family-level
decisions with the consent of his wife. He also involves his children in family-level decisions if they are young.
Post a Comment