India has always been known for the family bonds and closer relationship ties among its people. Still, the westernization so rapidly in our society has led to Joint Families breaking down and the Nuclear Family concept becoming a hit, especially in urban culture.

 Nuclear Family – A Changed Society

The nuclear family structure sure has affected the way we lead our lives and the way we feel about our people and all relationships. It has changed the face of our society.

1. Children Are Lonelier than Before

With the already overloaded education system of the country, the present-day children are drifting apart from the simple pleasures of childhood. Their innocence is evaporating much faster, and they are being given all the pressure and shown the face of competition way too early.

In a nuclear family culture, where mostly both mom and dad spend more time at work than at home, the children lack that close family bonding.

They don’t have the emotional support they most require in their growing stage and often go down the wrong path. They don’t experience all that loving and caring environment of their grandparents and cousins, and other relatives. They weren’t as lonely before.

2. Livelihood Didn’t Feel as Expensive

Sure, there were more mouths to feed in the house with Joint families, but there were more minds and bodies to work and earn. People could share the expenses of their house; that way, just one person didn’t have to bear it all alone. Plus, festivals meant more gifts and more people to get those extra cents from.

3. Every Family Event Felt So Big and Full

They didn’t need to invite people from outside to have that crowd for any event, unlike in a nuclear family. The smallest celebration of any member’s achievements felt so big and full always, with merely the people from inside the house. Moreover, you always get reasons to have a good time together, be it a Sunday night movie or an unplanned golgappa gathering.

4. There Used to be Houses More than Flats

The Nuclear family wave has induced the flat culture and pushed people to live in smaller, constricted places. There’s a lack of space vital for a healthy way of life. Pets don’t get proper space to run, and well… *whisper* poop. Why just pets? Children don’t get all that open and grassy place to run and, well, fall, as they do.

(What were you expecting, poop? #JahaSochWahaShauchalay). Dude! They had real trees in their homes and backyards, and grassy grounds and fairy-tales flats don’t have.

5. Festivals Felt Like Festivals for Real

With so many lovable people around and with so many people you got to call yours, festivals were no doubt filled with more warmth and gifts (haha, YES!). All the aunts and cousins and grandmas made their lip-smacking good food, and they’d get to eat it all. Plus, all that “shagun ka paisa”. Be it Bhaidooj or Rakhi or Diwali or Eid or Christmas or New Year, with the variety of friends of every member, you almost celebrate them all together.

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