In a strict sense, someone’s family is all those people to whom that person is related, by marriage or birth.
It can be classified into two broad sub-types; namely, extended and close. The close family of a person includes spouses, siblings, and parents; while an extended one consists of in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
Though, strictly speaking, families are often considered as extended as mentioned before; or biological, nuclear, which is made up of one or more than one child and the two parents. However, there are many other formats that it can take; for instance, some children are looked after by their grandparents, and many other families hover around homosexual couples and their kids.
Also, many people regard their friends as their real family, because they happen to be the people who can be relied on in times of distress. Families are, as a matter of fact, pretty much flexible; as adults and children can be successfully adopted into a family and viewed as an integral part of that family for a number of reasons.
The word family originated from the Latin term familia. It used to mean an entire household; such as the children, their parents, and the household servants also. Guy Lafleur once told, When trouble comes, it’s your family that supports you, and it is indeed a powerful yet simple quote that encapsulates the true essence of family.
Top reasons why the family is essential for you
Support and security
Families are important as human beings are social animals who cannot live in isolation. A person turns to others for support, and also loves and helps others in reciprocation. Whether someone is between jobs, or applying for them, or just letting go the emotional baggage after a difficult breakup; nobody can deny that the business of life becomes much easier with the magical touch of their families that shower people with unconditional love and concern.
Fear exists in the souls of every mortal being, and every person must feel secure. A family provides an individual with ample protection and security. The type of the family is not relevant, and it can be a joint or a nuclear family, which makes one genuinely feel secure and protected. What truly matters is the ultimate realization that one’s family will be standing by that person, and no matter what happens, anytime and all the time.
They love and understand you
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, in addition to the basic ones, a human being has many emotional needs also. Everybody craves for affection, sense of attachment, understanding, love, etc. Proper and adequate fulfillment of such needs results in the physical and also the emotional well-being of a person. Families are vital as they provide people with love, community feeling, laughter, and happiness. They understand one’s habits and the ups and downs that a person has been throughout the entire life.
Protect from external influences
Peer pressure does have a substantial effect on teens and young adults. When someone is negatively influenced by the peers, the teachings of that person’s family are challenged. Hence; if an individual has a strong, instilled sense of right and wrong; that person will unlikely deviate from the path of truth.
No place like home
No matter where one may go for work, study, or leisure; that person never forgets own home sweet home. It essentially means that one is never alone, really, in this big world; and always has a place to go back whatever happens. This assuring feeling is sometimes backed financially and legally with co-ownership of the house.
Help to raise a child
Family plays a crucial role when raising an offspring. Other family members can help in to nurture a kid. They can take proper care of a child when any of the parents are away or sick. Raising a child is no child’s play (pun not intended), but having a supportive family definitely helps and makes the task a lot easier. A maid or a nanny can never take the place of a grandfather or a grandmother. It is pretty standard these days for the working couples to leave their child to the senior members of the family at daytime. And it is also often said that the grandparents love their grandchildren a lot more than their own kids!
Help in decision making
Family values influence the process of decision making both inside and outside of this building block of the human society. Taking appropriate decisions about sensitive issues can very well be challenging, and people often experience helplessness when they are clueless about how to proceed further. Possessing strong family values helps people to opt for the correct alternatives in their lives. Family values can be segmented into five types; namely, social (e.g.: being honest with others), political (e.g.: working hard for success), religious (e.g.: showing compassion to the people in need), work (e.g.: making education a priority), and moral (e.g.: being trustworthy and courageous).
They help to make who you are
From providing a person with the basics of education to imbibing ethical values, the family can shape the personality of an individual at one’s formative years. A vast majority of people do acknowledge that the wise and kind teachings of their families had had made them what they are today.
Conclusion
A family can be whatever people make it, and this social structure can contain only blood relatives or even consists of close friends also. From encouraging a person’s inner growth to providing with financial support, family plays an instrumental role to achieve the objectives of one’s life.
When people have their families by their side, they never feel alone in this world, as they know that there will always be a bunch of caring people behind them who want the very best for them.
You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.
Desmond Tutu