A joint family (an undivided family, joint family, extended family system) is a large undivided family, where more than one generation live together in a common household. A joint family is a form of family where grand-parents, father, mother and children are united together under one roof.
In such families, the son does not separate himself after getting married. Instead, he lives in the same house with his family with his wife and children.
The eldest male member is usually the head of the joint family. His power and functions are like a trustee. He is entitled to take economic and social decisions on behalf of the family.
Advantages of joint family
In a family when all family members live together with the second generation, such as grandparents, grandmothers, parents, uncles, aunts and their children, we call it a joint family. The importance of joint family has been considered by Indians since time immemorial. Some advantages of joint family are –
(1) Assistant in problems – The joint family always supports each member of the family, whenever there is a problem, hardly any other people help us, but the family always supports each other.
(2) Enjoy Festivals – When the family stays together, the joy of every festival is different and everyone is very happy together like Holi, Diwali, etc. People get very happy when they spend every moment of life together all the time. .
(3) Mutual adjustment Mutual adjustment – Each member of the family has mutual understanding and adjustment. Naturally those who benefit from each other’s generosity and are grateful to them.
(4) Better Children’s Study – In a large family, their children study in a group according to their age such as with cousins, playing together, quarreling together and getting punished together.
(5) Good tips for marriage – Marriageable girls also become a concern for all elders in the marriage. Even if the daughter of a junior brother is chosen by someone because of her beauty or talent, she will not agree to her marriage until her senior cousin or sister gets married.
(6) Minimum subsistence of life Minimum subsistence life – For the care of all the members of the family and each member needs to have minimum requirements to survive.
(7) Family discipline in the family – In a joint family, some restrictions are imposed on the family members. The head of a large family almost becomes his or her total husband. If he or she is looking after the family and other constituent norms well and healthily, this means that the family is expanding.
(8) Soul of unity – The joint family system is finally prevalent for the soul of unity.
Disadvantages of joint family
(1) Misbehaviour with partner – The family’s unity is disturbed by the ‘misbehavior’ of the partner in the joint family. This is only due to household income.
(2) Exploitation of member Exploitation of member – Some joint families have many types of clever members, who do more work than other innocent members of the family and also torture them.
(3) Money value among members – Many people are of this mindset, some of whom have low earnings, while high earning members often insult small income members.
(4) Big burden in joint family – Nowadays the cost of education has increased. High-earning members often want to teach their children in the best of schools, but they do not want to share the burden of the children of other family members.
(5) Inferiority complex – Most decisions made by the head of the household are important for large families, since not all individuals in the family have the right to participate in the family’s main decisions, so they often develop inferiority complex or a sense of inferiority complex.
Conclusion
The separation of families is self-evident in joint families, when the spirit of generosity, charity and sympathy is not balanced by a strong moral line, character and foresight. Joint families can be run successfully if members remain committed to each other. The problem of cohesion and selflessness is the essence of joint family.
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