Write an article for publication in a cultural magazine on the advantages and disadvantages of the extended family system.

Answer Details

Model answer: Magazine article on the advantages and disadvantages of the extended family system.

This is an article for a cultural magazine. It requires a title and a by-line and should balance advantages against disadvantages.

THE EXTENDED FAMILY: BLESSING AND BURDEN
by a Cultural Enthusiast

The extended family, in which grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and other relations live together or maintain close bonds, is one of the most treasured features of African society. Like every human institution, however, it has both its bright and its dark sides.

The advantages are considerable. First, the extended family is a source of great security. In times of sickness, unemployment or bereavement, a member never stands alone, for the family rallies round with money, food and comfort. Secondly, it provides free care for children and the aged; grandparents mind the young while parents work, and no elderly person is abandoned to a lonely old age. Thirdly, it is a powerful school of morality and culture. Children learn respect, discipline, proverbs, customs and the history of their people from the many relatives around them. Finally, it fosters unity and cooperation, so that big tasks such as farming, building or funerals are shared and lightened.

Yet the system has its disadvantages. It can place a heavy financial burden on the successful few, who are expected to train and feed a host of relatives, sometimes at the expense of their own children. It can breed laziness and over-dependence, as some members refuse to work, knowing that others will provide. It often erodes privacy and encourages unwelcome interference in the affairs of couples. It can also give rise to jealousy, quarrels over inheritance and endless disputes among relations.

On balance, the extended family remains a valuable heritage that offers warmth and support unknown in more individualistic societies. What is needed is moderation: members should contribute their fair share, respect one another's privacy, and enjoy the strength of the system without abusing it.