Changing Trends in Family Life
A joint or extended family consists of father, mother and their married sons and grandsons and daughters. A nuclear family comprises the husband and wife and their children if any. In our country, especially in the villages, joint family has been in practice from ancient time and still, it is in vogue. But nowadays there has been a general trend of change towards the nuclear family from the old joint family. When a person takes a job in the town he is automatically separated from his parents and other members of the family living in the village. This person being married forms a nuclear family. Thus the general tendency is toward a nuclear family. This may be due to a growing sense of independence and a materialistic outlook. Educated people nowadays want to enjoy life being free from the obligation of a greater family. So the old family ties are breaking down, but because of the nature of the job, the extended family is still convenient in the rural farming society.