Members of joint family may help us sharing probable solutions of problems using brainstorming sessions.

Joint family culture was very important in forming a person's character and behaviour.  It helped individuals to grow with selfless and tolerant attitudes. They learned to help other people and to adjust themselves for the well being of the system. Since no children were over cared and pampered  in that system, they had the opportunity to develop managing things  and situations they were involved.  They had the chance to learn that every thing would not happen as per their wish.  The children of those days had freedom to play together and wander everywhere they preferred and that practice  helped in overall development of their psychological and physical conditions.

Nowadays, the joint family system is nearly extinct.  Individuals are confined to nuclear family set up, where the people are hesitant to mingle well with others. Children are isolated within the walls of their home and their activities are restricted to video/computer games. This change have adverse effects on the physical and mental status of present generation.

Dear Sir,

Detailed discussion on the topic is wonderful and informative; and learning for the youth specifically.

Nature has been very generous to we humans, it has countenanced us to change the course of our density the way we want. This impliedly also means, we should not complain of those undesirable changes, which we induced and welcomed ourselves and the fact remains every change is not always a welcome change, need is to stick to and accept those changes which are inevitable.

With the advent of 21st century man has bought some phenomenal changes in its pattern of living; society has started transforming at an alarming pace, the pace which some times we humans are unable to handle. Under the prevailing conditions if one talks of society to change at gradual pace may perhaps be accused of committing sin, such is the yearning in the minds of people especially among youngsters who more or less have driven crazy in the lure of luxury, lavish life style with all carelessness and more to accuse of is modernization based on western thought process which somewhat is an ugly face of west. Among so many things one undesirable and unwanted changed which this transformation of society has give us is in the form Old Age Homes.

OLD AGE HOMES: - Definition of old age home varies considerably from person to person but the most common understanding about these homes among general masses is that, these are place, where parents abandoned by their children during old age are shifted for nursing and are left there to die an unknown death. Looking at the gravity of the subject it won't be improper to say that old age homes include those homes as well, where the old and feeble parents live in their own houses but are abandoned by their children. To many of us, coming into being of these homes may not be that surprising, as they may have already come along these institutions and the trend has already spread to a proportion of its irrevocability. Undesirable changes always receive much faster acceptance in society than any desirable change. Since old age homes have received social acceptance, so to many these homes proved a blessing in disguise especially to those children who deem responsibility of their parents as burden. One should not be surprised if one sees the day when every child may be seen as shifting his/her parents to old age homes or converting their parental home into an old age home.

Reasons for coming into being of old age homes are numerous, but the most prominent factors which can be primarily held responsible and can be seen as contributing to rapid and widespread flourishment of old age homes are, the over busy life, the neo-local concept of family, rapid urbanization, modernization more based on western thought process and lavish lifestyle are a few to name. Old age homes are also now-a-days seen as second home.

Brain drain as we know means emigration of technically skilled & knowledgeable people from home country to host country for the want of better opportunities but the irony is parents of these children are the worst hit group suffering from this old age home menace. Parents, whose wards moved to metropolitan cites for better employment suffer almost equally. Due to ultramodern life style and busy work schedule people find it difficult to strike balance between the two, children don't find time to visit their parents. There are instances where family's lone child works in abroad and it takes years together when these children visit their parents, in some cases children couldn't even turn up at the funeral of their parents.

COLLAPSING JOINT FAMILY STRUCTURES: - In this mad race of modernization, family is one such basic unit of a society which has faced the more burnt. Family values are receding at much greater pace than in any other institution of society. Socialization of a child begins at home and the values imbibed during childhood go a long way in moulding the behavior of a child in conformity with the values of society. With the lure to scale new heights of social strata overnight, young boys and girls squelch every social value under there feet. Influence of westernization has trenched its roots so deep and wide in our society that if taken out people will grow brainsick.

Home is not what comprises of four walls, but of people who besides being near and dear to you live with you, these include, parents, grand parents, sibs, kins and other extended kins. For being emotionally attached we share emotions with them. Even though it won't be inappropriate to say that it is these people who make a house a home. In joint families till children reach their adulthood, they hardly used to come to know about their real parents, but unfortunately these structures have almost now become nonexistent, such used to be cohesiveness and bonding among family members. Even moving out of family to work in a far off place never used to be a problem as there used to be members who in ones absence used to take care of every other thing. As has time occulted so many things in it so has got the structure of Joint Family replaced by the Neo-local family.

OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY: - If we look at ourselves, we will see how differently we have treaded the course of life. We have led ourselves there where wants have become unlimited. We possess more than what we desired for, but still there is no peace of mind. We pushed ourselves beyond the limits but of no anvil. We own a cozy bed but still pass sleepless nights. We achieved a lot but still there is no contention. Indeed there are numerous reasons and factors which contribute to coming into being of old age homes, but how does this mean we can not sacrifice individual interests for larger interests and there can not be any interest larger than the interest of family. Parenting is one such important area which deserves attention, because children at an appropriate age start reflecting the values imbibed during childhood. Also, there is no denial in it that outside the institution of family a child receives more social education, especially when one starts interacting with other institutions of society through peers, contemporaries, colleagues etc. and they make a profound impact on the behavior and conduct of a person. But among everything, family as an institution has to play a far greater role with far greater responsibility in making the social and family values perpetual.

Dear Ramesh Pandita Sir,

Thank you for such a detailed information and discussion on this important topic.

Best Regards.

The whole world is divided into two family systems, those are:

1. Joint family system/culture is based on collectivism of the society, India is best example of Joint family system. Social security, less dependency on outside help, less stress, collective decisions, etc are benefits. Lack of independence, forced decisions, less innovative/creative, etc are some disadvantages.

2. Nuclear family system/culture is based on individualism of the society, USA is best example of nuclear family system. Independence/freedom, own decisions, innovative/creative, more entrepreneurial, etc are some advantages. Less social security, more dependency on outside help, more stress, etc are some disadvantages.

--- Both systems have advantages and disadvantages. Both family systems have their own logic for existence.

Thank you Subhash C. Kundu Sir.

Best Regards.

Joint families teach us a lesson and to be united at each moment..in each situations. Decomposition of such families are not good to the society. When I think about the reasons behind it - I found that capitalist mode of production is responsible for it. Not only brothers and sisters, but husbands and wives also - are employed in separate companies and have separate earnings. The impact of it is visible on children and old also - as people are having less times for these and status of elders (parents) has been decreased as their experience was in some different fields and their experience is not utilized by their children.

Are following points valid for joint family culture:

• It is more cost effective because of 'economy of scale'
• More emotional support
• More flexible behavior
• Stress bursting at joint family dinner time

The points above mentioned are valid for a joint family culture. However it depends on the members of the family as in earlier times also there were variations in size of families. Joint family have emotional fabrics which are good for structuring a society and culture.

Dear Prabhat Ranjan,

There are many factors (such as size of families) important for maintaining joint family culture.

It is well said: Joint family have emotional fabrics which are good for structuring a society and culture.

Best Regards.

Quiet important because an individual problem can be sorted out by managing situations and solved by mutual talks

---- Joint Family System in India ---

Some Advantages of Joint Family System: The following are the advantages of joint family system,

(i) Economy: The collective cooking, shelter and consumption brings down the cost of expenditure.  Within small means a large family can be maintained if it lives jointly.

(ii) Division of Labour: It secures the advantages of the division of labour. Every member in the family is given work according to his abilities without being taxed unduly.

(iii) Social Insurance: In the joint family the orphans find a comfortable asylum instead of being thrown out. The joint family acts as a social insurance company for the old, sick and incapacitated.

(iv) Social Virtues: It fosters great virtues like sacrifice, affection, co-operation, spirit of selflessness, broad mindedness among its members and makes the family a cradle of social virtues.

(v) Opportunity for Leisure: It provides opportunities for leisure to the members. The female members divide the household work and finish it within a little time spending the rest of it in leisure.

(vi) Socialism: The joint family is like a corporation where trustee is the father.

(vii) It Provides Minimum Existence: In joint family, each member earns according to his capacity and gets according to his needs. Thus each member is assured of food, shelter and clothing.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/family/joint-family-system-in-india-characteristics-advantages-and-disadvantages/23394/

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/merits/merits-and-demerits-of-joint-family-system-in-india-1935-words/4880/

Hello Sanjay, i was searching for some debate on Indian families and chanced upon this discussion happened in 2015! The topic you thought of exploring was good though riddled with conceptual misrepresentations. You might have completed your work. However, if you are still interested in the subject, you may go through a chapter on Family studies in India: Historical development, debates and future directions, uploaded in Research Gate. Let me know your observations.