the extended family today

what did Charles find about the extended family today?

the classic 3 generation family is all but extinct (apart from in the Bangladeshi community)

what does Wilmott argue about the extended family?

it continues to exist as a dispersed extended family where relatives are geographically separated but maintain frequent contact through visits and phone calls

what did Chamberlain find about Caribbean families?

despite being geographically dispersed, extended family members continued to provide support

• multiple nuclear families

what are multiple nuclear families?

close & frequent contact between siblings, uncles, aunts & cousins who all make a big contribution to child rearing

what did Bell find about the extended family?

both working-class and middle-class families had emotional bonds with kin and relied on them for support

• m/c - financial help from father to son

• w/c - domestic help from mother to daughter

what did Charles find about the beanpole family?

same high level of contact between mothers & adult daughters that Bell found in the 60s, but a sharp decline in sibling support & contact

why might there be less sibling communication and support?

• increased life expectancy

• smaller family sizes

what did Finch & Mason find about obligations to relatives?

over 90% of people and given or received financial help and ½ had cared for a sick relative and more is expected from females than men

• principle of reciprocity is vital

what did Cheal find about obligations to relatives?

when it comes to help with household tasks, a systematic set of rules exists for deciding who has the greatest obligation to assist

• spouse

• daughter

• daughter in law

• son

• other relatives

• non relatives

what did Mason find about obligations to relatives?

when caring for relatives, much depends on the history of the relationship, the obligations women feel towards their relatives and other responsibilities that they fee would provide legitimate excuses