The Family

The term ‘family' is often used in varying context, whether to garner favour or just to
send a nice gesture. In Jamaica, one might approach you with the phrase "yow family,
wah gwaan?" which is interpreted ‘hi friend, how are you?' The term Family is a
universal concept; however, the greatest minds today are having difficulty in arriving at
a common definition because the form and functions of the family may differ according
to societies.

Amidst all, the family is regarded as one of the most important institution in the society
and is so branded as the chief corner stone of the society.

Let us work out a definition for the term ‘family' that applies to our Caribbean setting;

Family: A group of persons sharing the same domestic unit (household) related by
blood, marriage, adoption or some other factors.

It must also be noted that the family is subjected to support and maintain each other
emotionally, socially, and economically. You would then agree that not all households
can be described as a family because they experience the lack thereof.

The family is the first institution that enrolls us after birth, as such; its importance
cannot be overemphasized. In order for the society to function smoothly, the family
needs to perform certain basic functions.

Functions of the family in Contemporary society

The family carries out unique functions that ensure continuity of the human specie. The
following are functions undertaken by the family, bear in mind, not all families carry out
these functions.
Explanations of the varying functions of the family

Functions Explanations

1) Provides Economic Maintenance The family is responsible for

satisfying and supplying the

basic needs of its members

It is usually the parents who

work and pool their resources

together in an effort to ensure

 that food, clothes and shelter

is present

2) Emotional Support The family attends to its

members emotional and

psychological needs through

providing an oasis of love,

attention, security and a sense

of identity.

3) Reproduction/Procreation The family plays a paramounting

role in populating the society

with human species

4) Socialization The family is an agent of

socialization in that it teaches

the young accepted behaviours

of the society, their roles,

responsibilities and basic skills

needed for survival.

5) Controls sexual behaviour The family controls the sexual

behaviour of its members.

There is a prohibition of sexual

 intimacy between its members.

6) Educational Maintenance A child's education begins at

home. Even before entering the

formal educational system,

parents contribute to the

informal education of their

child. This is usually

demonstrated through the

teaching of the alphabet,

learning of a few numbers,

spelling of the name. The school

however, in later years takes

over the responsibilities for

formal education. Throughout

these years of formal education,

the family continues to play its

part by offering assistance,

attending important school

meetings, supervising course

works, and offering

encouragement.
The Caribbean community has a very interesting mix of family types and unions. Some
are widely accepted while others are being rejected on the grounds of morality and
tradition. Most, if not all of our family types and unions have been products of our rich
historical past (Colonialism, African slavery, and Chinese and East Indian indentureship)
handed down to the next generations.

Let us begin by exploring the different family types that exist in our Caribbean society.

1. Nuclear family

2. Single Parent Family

3. Extended Family

4. The Sibling Family

5. The Reorganized Family

The nuclear family consists of a married or unmarried couple living under the same roof
with their children. Please bear in mind that the children in this relationship may be the
couple's own or adopted. This type of family is most widely embraced by the Caribbean
society

This family consists of only one parent living with his/her children. Such a family is very
common in the Caribbean homes, seeing most time being headed by a woman. The
circumstances that give rise to the formation of this family type include:

♦ Divorce or separation

♦ Death of one of the partners

♦ By deliberate choice

♦ Desertion or abandonment

The extended family is made up of members from more than two generations living
under the same roof or in a family compound with members having close contact with
one another. This type of family may contain grandparents, grandchildren, several
married siblings, their spouses, and children, among other relatives. In most Caribbean
settings, the family tends to be centred on the woman.

This is a family in which the older brother/sister takes care of the

younger ones in the home. Here the siblings live together with no
parents. The following circumstances accounts for the formation of this
type of household:

1. Migration of parents to foreign country

2. Death of parents

3. Imprisonment of parents

4. Desertion by parents

- This type of family exists on account of one of the

spouses bringing into his/her new family (relationship) a child or children from an old
relationship that was dissolved. This will result in the children having half sisters and
half brothers.

Family Unions in the Caribbean

There are several different family unions that exist in the Caribbean community. Most
of these unions are as a result of our strong historical past, but there are few that were
birthed out of current happenings in our society.

Chart highlighting the family unions recognized in the Caribbean society

Let us explore the characteristics of Legal Marriage!!

1. The Legal Marriage - In the Caribbean, this union exist where a man and a woman
are legally united, usually in the presence of a Christian priest, Hindu priest, A Muslim
priest, Justice of the Peace or any person who is duly authorized to conduct this
religious or legal ceremony. One enters into a legal union either through reaching the
age of eighteen or if younger, through parental consent. Both parties involve in this
union share a common residence and a socially approved sexual relationship.

2. Common-Law or Consensual Union - This union exists between a man and a

woman who are not legally married but shares a sexual union and a common residence
by mutual agreement. This type of family union is becoming increasingly popular in the
Caribbean, however, it is widely viewed that this relationship gives birth to ‘illegitimate'
children and lacks the binding strength needed to keep the relationship alive during
stressful and hard times.

Diagram highlighting characteristics of a Common-law union

Visiting Relationship - In this type of union, the man and woman are not married and
do not share common residence. They visit each other at times for the purposes of
sexual intercourse. The sexual relationship shared by both partners may lead to the
birth of children, often times classified as ‘illegitimate' children because of the
circumstances under which they were born.

The Commonalities in Legal Marriage and Common law Union

Legal Marriage

SEXUAL INTIMACY

COMMON RESIDENCE

Common law union

The figure highlights the commonalities of the legal union and the common law union.
It can be seen that the partners in both union share a sexual union and a common
residence.
Having being exposed to the characteristics of the different family unions in our society,
I am sure you can identify the difference in characteristics of the legal and common-law
union.

Let us try!

The differences include:

1._________________________________

2._________________________________

Important Note: Partners in all three unions share in a sexual relationship.

In order for the family to be happy, each member must perform certain roles and
responsibilities in accordance with the social position they occupy within their family.
The term that is used to describe one's social position within the family is Status. This
term will be used repeatedly in explaining the roles and responsibilities of family
members.

Our status in the family will determine the role we have to play. Every individual
occupies a position in their family. These positions include:

 son

 daughter

 mother

 father

 husband

 wife

Which position do you occupy in your family? Are you confused because you realize that
you occupy more than one position/status in your family? Don't be!! It is possible to
occupy more than one position/status in your family.
As a son or a daughter in the family, there are certain behaviours that are expected of
you. Those expected behaviours are called roles. Likewise your mother is a woman and
she may have to perform the role of a mother to a child and a wife to her husband.

One can therefore assume that a role is linked with a status.

The members of the family all have unique role(s) to play. It is important to note that
each of the member's roles is determined by his or her position or status in the family

Cartoon - Conversation on status in the family

Let us look at the roles and responsibilities of other members of the family.

Test your skill by matching the status with the correct role by drawing a line
The responsibilities detailed above are limited, you can add to them as you wish. As
you peruse the roles and responsibilities of members of the family, it should become
clear that some members are required to play a dual role. For example, the role of the
father is not the same as the role of a husband; likewise, the role of a wife is not the
same as the role of a mother. Can you imagine a wife attending to the needs of the
children while ignoring her role as a wife? The husband will become frustrated and this
may lead to a breakdown in their relationship.

Activities

1) Identify a situation in which a family member has to play dual role.

2) Identify situations that may prevent an individual from carrying out his or her role
The relationship shared among family members is very crucial in seeing to its survival.
You may have witnessed or heard of families engaging in continuous conflict which have
lead to a tremendous breakdown in family ties, likewise you may have witnessed or be
apart of a family that demonstrate high levels of cooperation. Families that exercise
high levels of cooperation do so through working together and understanding each
others personality, role, and responsibilities.

Earlier we have discussed family member's status and role. In addition, we have also
learnt that the inability or failure to enact one's role effectively can lead to a breakdown
in family relation. It is important that family members learn to adjust to their respective
roles and status in order to prevent conflicts and foster a harmonious family setting. For
example, a male in the family who is both a father and a husband has to learn to play
a dual role -father and provider for his children and lover and companion for his wife.
The neglect of any one of these roles will lead to a feeling of neglect on part of the wife
or children.

Maintaining a healthy relationship between family members can prove to be an

overwhelming task, however, it is not an impossible fate. The following factors
contribute to a breakdown in relationship among family members:

→ Family size and spacing of children

→ Financial difficulties

→ Sudden change in the composition of the family ( arrival of a new baby, new family
member etc)

→ Inability to carry out one's role

Question for thought

 What kind of activities can the family engage in to maintain harmonious and
cooperative relationship between its members?

Generation Gap

You have been exposed to the different stages in the lives of human beings; namely,
pre-natal, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and senescence. In which stage are you
currently seated? Are you in the adolescence stage? If yes, do you resent or resist
strong demands from parents and those in authority? Do you have divergent views
from those of your parents or those who are your senior? I leave you to answer.

As an adolescent, there may be instances where you have been engaged in serious
altercation with your parents because of differences in views regarding the following.
Put a tick in the box beside the issue that concerns you and your parent(s) the most:

→ Music []

→ Choice of boyfriend/girlfriend []

→ Television programme []

→ Clothes []

→ Leisure/free time activity(s) []

→ Choice of friends []

If you have ticked more than one, then you are experiencing what is termed as
"Generation Gap."

Use the information above to construct a definition for the term "Generation Gap."

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
 The Caribbean family has undergone many changes as it relates to the roles and
responsibilities of its members. The feminine role is not just that of a housewife but
also an income earner. Let us explore these changing roles of family members in
Contemporary Caribbean society.

Traditional Roles of Men and Women in Caribbean Families

Traditional Roles of Men Traditional roles of Women

 Decision Maker Decision Taker

 Breadwinner Home Maker / house keeper

 Disciplined the children Socialize the children

 Work outside the home Work with children and older

family members within the
home

 Protector Counsellor / religious leader

 ________________________ _________________________

 ________________________ _________________________

The above are just a few of the many traditional roles of men and women in the
Caribbean families. You can add to the list as you wish.
Exploration of factors that influences the changing role of family members in
contemporary Caribbean society

The chart overleaf highlighted traditional roles of both men and women. Today, those
roles and responsibilities have been changing. There are many factors that have
influenced these changing roles and responsibilities. For greater understanding, the
changing roles of both men and women will be explored separately.

The woman

Table examining the factors that give rise to the changing roles of women

Factors that give rise to the changing Explanation

roles of women in contemporary

Caribbean families

1. High cost of living Women are forced to work outside

the home to cater to the high

demands of family members.

Amidst the presence of a spouse

in the home, increase in cost of

living has compelled the woman

to engage in meaningful work that

will earn her an income

2. Family Planning Programmes Women are now exposed to varying

methods of contraception which

have led to a decline in fertility

rates. This has made it possible

 for women to focus their attention

on their career aspirations rather

on child rearing.

3. Technological Availability The improvement in technology both

in the home and at the work place

has made life easier for the woman.

They are now able to cover a wide

variety of household chores in less

time and dedicate more time on

improving themselves. Likewise, the

use of technology in the workplace

has now won women the right to

manoeuvre the work that was solely

dominated by men.

4. Equality of the sexes The women's right movement have

been audible in their quest for

women to receive equal

opportunities as their counterpart.

Women no longer regard themselves

as merely house-wife, but are now

insisting that the gender roles in

the home be shared. Likewise,

 women now are insisting they

be involved in the decision making

process for the family. The right to

equal educational opportunities

and equal job opportunities has

further helped to define the status

of women in society, thus promoting

equality of the sexes.

5. Increased employment opportunity Women are now partaking in jobs

that were male dominated and

likewise men are engaging in jobs

that were once female oriented.

As a result of the great choice of

employment for the women, they

are now sharing in the

breadwinner's role with their

partners.
The Man

1. The adult male is no longer seen as the only breadwinner in the family because of
economic factors and status of the women in society.

2. The fact that women are now participating in the decision making process in the
family has eliminated the belief that the man is the sole decision maker. This has
brought about a radical change in the role of the man in the home

3. The support of women's right movement and increased educational opportunities

for women has contributed to the changing role of the man in the home.

4. Male roles are changing because more and more female partners are taking up paid
jobs outside the home; hence, the stereotyping of women role as house-keeper is
changing. Men are now forced to take on a greater share of the household duties.

The results of the changing roles of members of the Caribbean family.

Let us explore the effects of these changing roles on the man and woman in the family.

The effects of the changing roles on the Women

 Increased woman's self esteem and confidence- they are now able to make
greater contribution to the society

 Women are now being assisted with the domestic roles

 Increased independence - women no longer sit in abusive relationships and

remain unhappy, but move on as they are now self sustenance.

The effects of the changing roles on the Man

 Traditional males occupations have been opened to females, therefore,

traditional male dominated occupations are no longer regarded as male
occupations

 The sharing of gender roles in the home and at the work place has created an
identity crisis for males

 The egalitarian concept promoted by women, which calls for the equal sharing of
authority and decision making in the home have led to some men feeling
marginalized.

The changing roles of the members of the family have created role conflict in the
family. Role conflict exists where ones role interferes with the performance of another
role. Amidst the changes and the sharing of household roles, the distinction between
women's work and men's work in the home still exist to some extent.

Parenting is a very serious undertaking. It is advised that one do not become a parent
before he/she has acquired some of the basic pre-requisite skills needed to make them
good parents.

The following factors should be considered in preparation for responsible parenthood:

1. Be knowledgeable on family planning techniques - through family planning, one will

be better able to cater to the needs of the family members. Family planning dictates to
the number of children, the spacing between them and how they will be provided for.

2. Build Emotional and Psychological strength - the presence of a new baby affects the
psychology of the family. Child rearing requires a lot of patience to deal with the
emotional and psychological challenges. A child goes through different phases of its life
and it requires much understanding on part of the parents to attend to the demands of
these different phases.

3. Adequate financial resources - couples are encouraged to acquire skills or education

that will secure them a stable job. This will guarantee that they are financially prepared
to provide the basic needs of the child.

4. Physical development - The development of a baby inside a female's body carries

many health risks. Hence, the female body should be sufficiently developed to go
through the nine months of pregnancy, if not; there could be serious implications for
the child as well as the mother.

5. Be knowledgeable about first aid technique - this will make parents better able to
deal with emergencies as they arise.

6. Communication skills - the ability y to be able to talk to and listen to their children

7. Socialization skills - to be able to teach the child/children the values, norms and
mores of the society in which they live.

8. Disciplinarian skills - the ability to be able to deal with inappropriate behaviours

Our Caribbean society is plagued with social issues, most of which the governments are
having great difficulty attending to. These issues have surfaced on account of
individual's refusal to conform to or abide by the laws of society.
A social issue can be best described as any condition that is widespread and conflicts
with the norms and values of the society that affects a large number of people directly
or indirectly.

The characteristics of a Social Issue are:

 It conflicts with the norms and valuesof society

 It affects a large number of people both directly and indirectly

 It is difficult to solve and therefore requires collective effort to solve it

The following are examples of social issues that penetrate our Caribbean society:

1. Child abuse

2. Domestic violence

3. Incest

4. Juvenile delinquency

5. Poverty

6. Sexual transmitted diseases

7. Street children

8. Substance abuse

9. Suicide

10. Teenage pregnancy

Some of the issues identified have been in existence for a very long time. Governments
have made attempt at solving them but they lack the human and financial resources
needed to deal with it effectively.

One cannot down play the efforts of government in trying to rid the area of these social
issues. With the limited resources, the governments have:

1. Created employment opportunities to alleviate the scourge of poverty

2. Run advertisement in an effort to educate and sensitize the citizens on the casual
factors that have contributed to the wide spread of certain social issues
3. Call on international agencies to assist financially and technically in dealing with
social ills

4. Put in place laws that punish people who engage themselves in social issues which
are of an unlawful nature.

5. Offer direct help and assistance to victims through various funds

These are just a few of the governments' responses to the social issues that permeate
our society.

The family and social issues

The family is heavily affected by the social issues. Every individual who is involved in
the social ills of the society are apart of a family which therefore means that a family
will be affected. The following are common effects on the family:

1. The family relationship will be affected - the issue may cause conflict between family
members as they grapple to deal with it.

2. Alienation by other members of the society - if a member of the family suffers from a
communicable disease, society might assume that the entire family is suffering from
like disease and alienate them. This act of alienation leads to devaluing of oneself

3. Some families may lose important members such as parents (bread winners), big
brother/sister etc through the hands of crime, desertion, imprisonment or even death.

4. Family may be forced into financial depression because of excess money spent on
trying to rehabilitate one of its member

5. Younger Family members may model the behaviour of those senior members who
enroll themselves in undesirable behaviours

The laws serve to protect the interests of family members, primarily the children and
those who were once considered as illegitimate members. It is with such knowledge
that Caribbean governments have implemented family laws to ensure equal status for
inheritance.

Children and the Law

Children have been neglected for a long period until their well being came under threat
in recent times. The attacks on children have captured the attention of the Caribbean
government who have moved swiftly to implement the Child care and Protection Act.
Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda have passed a detailed child protection law in 2003.
This act provides definitions of child abuse and neglect, procedures for responding to
allegations and judicial remedies. In essence, the child care protection act speaks to the
welfare of the child.
Maintenance Act

Most Caribbean countries have put in place Maintenance Act to protect the well being of
the children. This act is designed to ensure that the parents /guardians maintain the
children who are under the age of 18 years. It also ensures that single parents receive
some financial support from the other parent. In the event that one of the parent fails
to carry out his/her responsibility towards the child, the Family Court can intervenes
and issue an order which if violated leads to imprisonment

Careless acts undertaken by parents such as leaving young children un attended for a
lengthy period without a just reason are subjected to be penalized by the hands of the
law under the Maintenance Act. The safety of children is a priority outlined in this Act.

Laws relating to inheritance

Inheritance - the property or money which has been passed from a dead person to his
or her beneficiary.

The Succession Act deals with matters relating to inheritance. In the past, there had
been a legal discrimination against common-law wives and children born out of
wedlock. In recent time, changes have been made to this act abolishing any legal
distinction between children born in wedlock and those born out of wedlock and giving
equal status for inheritance to surviving common-law wives.

The following outlines the circumstances surrounding inheritance of property and rights
to claim:

1. Where the deceased persons does not leave a will:

 The surviving spouse is entitled to the entire property if there is no child/children

or next of kin

 The surviving spouse is entitled to two-thirds of the property if the deceased

leave behind a child, who would receive the remainder of the property

 If there are more than one child, the spouse will receive one-third of the
property and the remainder divided equally amongst the children

The above specifications are assiduously enforced in Barbados.

Laws relating to marriage and divorce

Have you ever given thought to the divorce rate in the Caribbean? If not, do so now. I
can tell you, it is alarming. One might agree that the amendments made to the divorce
laws have made it easier for couples to be granted a divorce. What are these
amendments?

Amendments made to the Divorce laws

 The ground for divorce was usually based on common acts such as infidelity,
abuse, desertion, among other things. Recent amendments have abolished these
grounds and allow for partners to show evidence in court that the marriage is
broken down and irretrievable.

 A divorce will be granted if the partners provide proof to the court that they have
been living separate lives for a continuous period of not less than twelve months
before the date of filing the application for the divorce

 The court will not listen to cases that profile partners who have been married for
less than two years and have not made extensive use of marriage counselling in
an attempt to reconcile differences.

Divorce signals the separation of a union. However, the separation does not mean that
all ties between both parties will disappear. There are instances where one party may
not be able to fully support him/herself for varying reasons; therefore, the other party
will have to maintain that party.

The following reasons give credence to maintenance by one party:

 One partner may not be able to engage in meaningful work because of physical,
psychological or mental conditions

 One party may have to take care of children born in the marriage

Alimony - this term is used to describe the money that the court orders a partner
(whether man or woman) in a marriage to pay to the other partner as maintenance
after divorce.
Family tree is a chart that traces ancestry and relationships of family members.
Questions

Use the following questions to guide your understanding of the family tree

1. How many children did the union of Nathaniel and Ann Marie produce?

2. State how Orlando King and Sherdean are related

3. What is Brandon's relationship to Marlon jnr?

4. What is Annetta's surname?

5. What term is used to describe the relationship between Nathamar, Martha and
Abigail?

6. What is the relationship between Nathamar and Nathan?

7. What is Annetta's relationship relationship to Ann Marie?

Forms of Marriage

♦ Marriage - the legal, socially recognized union between a man and a woman
Marriage has two forms:

 Monogamy- this form of marriage only allows for one person to have only one
husband or wife at the same time. In other words, only one man is allowed to be
married to one woman.

 Polygamy- this form of marriage is different from monogamy in that it allows for
an individual to have more than one husband or wife at the same time.

 Patriarchal - the father is the head of a family or tribe. The father is therefore
vested with authority.

 Patrifocal - the father is the head of the household

 Matriarchal - the mother is the head of a family or tribe.

 Matrifocal - the mother is the head of the household. For example, during the
slavery period, the homes were occupied mainly by the women and children.
Plantation owners discouraged families and only allowed men to occupy the
homes for breeding purposes.

 Egalitarian - this connotes equal sharing of authority between mother and

father in the family or tribe.

Terms Associated with Family Types

 Extended Family - made up of members which extend beyond two or more

generations. This type of family usually includes married siblings, their spouses
and children, grandparents, cousins and other relatives.

 Nuclear Family - made up of married or unmarried couple and their children

(own or adopted) living under the same roof.
  Sibling Family - made up of brothers and sisters or sister and sisters or
brothers and brothers. In this setting, both parents are absent from the home
through migration, imprisonment or death.

Terms Associated with Family Relationships

 Consanguine Family - this type of family is usually described as the ‘original

family' because the members are related by blood

 Conjugal Family - this is a family that has been created through / by marriage.

Tracing Kinship

 Matrilineal - this is where the special privileges or duties follow the female line
in the family.

 Patrilineal - Special privileges or duties follow the male line.

 Bilineal - Special privileges and duties follow both the male and female line

Terms Associated with marriage and Divorce

 Bigamy - the offensive act of marrying someone while already married to

another person in a society that practices monogamy.

 Incest - sexual relation between people who are closely related. This type of act
is deemed unlawful.

 Divorce - the legal end to a legally contracted marriage.

 Legal Separation - the separation of married partners by a court order.

 Annulment - the cancellation of a marriage on the grounds that it is not legal.

 Alimony - this term is used to describe the money that the court orders a
partner (whether man or woman) in a marriage to pay to the other partner as
maintenance after divorce.

♦ Inheritance - the property or money which has been passed from a dead person
to his or her beneficiary.

♦ Status - a social position occupies by an individual

♦ Kinship - family relation that is close.