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Some people idealize family as a married couple with the husband
as breadwinner, the wife as a homemaker and child care provider,
and all the children living together under one roof until they get
married or move out on their own. But the structure of the
American family has changed so considerably that there can be
several definitions today, for example:
1. a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of
parents and their offspring;
2. two or more people who share resources, responsibility for
decisions, values and goals, and have commitments to one
another over a period of time, and reside usually in the same
place;
3. all the members of a household under one roof.
Q. When speaking about the family, the word “household” seems to be
used increasingly frequently .
A. This word allows for many different forms of the family. A
household is a domestic unit consisting of all the people living in
a house, which includes single people and nonfamilies, childless
couples, homosexual couples, etc.
Q. What factors affect family behavior?
A. First of all, home life does. The home is the center of family
activities including caring for the children, keeping house,
entertaining friends, playing games, watching television. In the
home, children learn basic social skills, such as how to talk and
get along with others, how to run the house and how to care for
and give emotional support to their family members. They also
learn health and safety habits.
A family’s home life is influenced by which members live in the
home and by the roles each member plays. Home life can also be
affected by relatives who live outside the family’s home.
Traditions, law, and social conditions also affect family behavior
in various ways reflecting scientific, economic and social
developments and changing attitudes.
Q. What are the most visible areas of difference between the family of
the 2000's and, say, that of our greatgrandfather's?
A. There are quite a few of them.
1. First of all, that's the difference in size. "Size" denotes three
different things here.

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