How has the traditional family changed over time - Essay Example

Evolution of the Traditional Family Family refers to a group of related people living together. There are two types of families including nuclear and extended family. Nuclear family is made up of father, mother and children while extended family is made up of father, mother, children, aunt uncle, nephew, among other relatives. Moral behaviors and cultural practices were the major factors that guided and upheld traditional families. In traditional family, all things were done traditionally. That is, they ate traditional foods- leaves, roots and fruits, lived in huts, and worshiped in sacred places like shrines.

However, emergence of modern technology has led to rapid change of traditional family (Oheneba-Sakyi & Takyi, 2006). Traditional family has undergone many changes including the family status, culture and the traditional rights. In the ancient times, a father had significant roles in the family as he was the head of the family and sole bread winner. He had a responsibility of providing the family with basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. He also had responsibility of providing family with medication and security.

Similarly, mother also had her roles in the family including cooking and taking care of children. Children also had specific roles depending on their gender. For instance, girls collected firewood and fetched water while boys grazed livestock. Currently, this is not the case since family has changed to the extent that food is being provided by any family member including children, mother or father so long as they are financially stable (Wiseman, 2010). This is because, job opportunities are provided nowadays equally regardless of age or gender.

Traditionally, work was for men in the family. However, because of gender equality and specialization, both men and women are doing same jobs in the family. That is, there is no longer special work for men or women. As a result, all types of work including domestic work that was specifically for mothers are being done by fathers and children. There is no specialization in modern families the way it was in traditional families, and in order to eradicate specialization from families, it is being referred to as gender discrimination.

As a result, both governmental and non-governmental organizations are campaigning against family specialization by referring to it as gender discrimination. Furthermore, the family is changing with the change of the general world economy. This is because; all societies around the world are changing and advancing. There is technological change, economical improvements, among many other changes and improvements. Living standards are improved as technology change and the economy grows. Consequently, people improve their lives, and change family status.

Furthermore, the concept of marriage is changing in modern families. In traditional family, a man married woman and paid bride rice in form of dowry (cows in most cases). Currently, many men do not pay dowry before marrying their wives. A significant change has been marked by the fact that unlike in traditional families where men married, women are marrying in modern families and they do not require any dowry (Andersen & Taylor, 2010). In general, traditional family has changed completely, and shall keep on changing.

Hence, we should be ready to adopt and deal with family changes positively so as to reduce negative effects associated with the changes seen in modern families. ReferencesAndersen, M. and Taylor, H. (2010). Sociology: The essentials. New York: Cengage Learning.Oheneba-Sakyi, Y. and Takyi, B. (2006). African Families at the Turn of the 21st Century. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.Wiseman, D. (2010). The American Family: Understanding Its Changing Dynamics and Place in Society. London: Charles C Thomas Publisher.