A family is a group of people who share ties with each other . Since there are different types of ties (blood, affinity, or marriage), we find different types or models of families.
In addition, families can also be classified according to other criteria, such as the number or sex of parents or caregivers. The concept of family has evolved over time and varies from culture to culture. New laws in many countries have allowed for new types of families that, until recently, were unthinkable.
Similarly, there are cultures whose idea of family may seem, in some ways, strange to the Western mentality.
Below, we detail the different types of families that exist, based on various criteria, such as the number and sex of parents and the nature of the emotional bond.
- Nuclear or traditional family
The nuclear family consists of a father, a mother, and their respective children . This means that it doesn’t include more distant relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins.
In this family structure, the members (father, mother, and child(ren)) live together in the same place . This type of family is also known as traditional, as it has been the most common in the Western world for centuries.
- Family without nucleus
A family without a nucleus is one that does not meet the conditions of a nuclear family . These families, despite having family relationships, do not have a nuclear unit. That is, they are families that do not live together in a single place . This occurs, for example, when:
- The children are grown up and found their own home.
- When parents divorce and their children, now adults, live on their own.
- They are single parents (they only have one parent)
- They are more distant relatives (grandparents, uncles, nephews, cousins) who do not live together.
This type of family is also known as a non-nuclear family.
- Homoparental family
This is the type of family in which both parents are of the same sex (both male or female). This type of family is becoming increasingly common in certain countries. Children from this marriage can be biological (the result of a previous relationship between one of the parents), through in vitro fertilization , or through adoption.
- Two-parent family
A two-parent family is one in which both parents are present at home . These parents can be heterosexual or homosexual, as the term is defined by the number of parents, not sexual orientation.
Thus, nuclear and homoparental families are also two-parent families.
- Non-parental family
A family consisting of a single parent (the father or mother) and one or more children . The reason for only one parent is due to various circumstances:
- Agreement between the two parents, such as a separation, divorce, or annulment of marriage.
- Voluntary decision to abandon the family by one of the parents.
- Death of one of the parents.
- Adoption by a widowed, single, or divorced person.
- Blended or stepfamily
We speak of a blended family when each parent has children from a previous relationship , but not from the partner they live with. For example, one parent has two children from a previous marriage, and the other has one (or even none).
That is, the children are not biologically born to both parents, but to one of them. This does not invalidate the possibility that, apart from these children, they may have other children together.
- Extended, extended or extended family
This type of family encompasses several family ties . These may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., who live together under the same roof . The reasons for this vary, including caring for a relative, economic reasons (sharing expenses), or strong family ties, among others.
For example:
- An elderly man who needs family care and lives with his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren.
- A family that has a big house and a cousin who works in that city lives with them.
- Host family
Foster families temporarily care for minors . Some children have been removed from the custody of their biological parents, or their parents have died or are unable to care for them. These children need the warmth of a home, so they are temporarily placed with a foster family.
- Adoptive family
This is a family that has adopted children (one or more) . That is, they don’t have the children in their care temporarily, but rather a firm and legal adoption. Adopted children have the same rights as biological children. The reasons for adopting children are usually the following:
- Inability or difficulty in having a biological child
- Solidarity or altruistic motivations
- Family of origin
The family of origin is the family to which a person belongs biologically . That is, it’s the family into which a person was born. Sometimes, children don’t live in their family of origin, but live with other relatives, such as their grandparents (extended family) or with non-biological families (foster or adoptive).
The reasons for living outside the family of origin are varied:
- Death of parents.
- Parents’ inability to care for their children (for example, if they are in prison or undergoing psychiatric confinement).
- Removal from custody by social services.
- Economic reasons that prevent the care of their children.
- Polygamous family
Polygamous families are those in which one parent is married to several people . This type of family is very rare in Western countries (where polygamy is generally prohibited).
However, in certain cultures, the father of a family may have several wives. In this case, it is called polygyny . If a woman has several husbands at the same time, it is called polyandry (much less common than polygyny).
- Binuclear family
This type of family has two nuclei . For example, when the parents of a nuclear family divorce and remarry. The children of the marriage alternate between the two new nuclei (the father’s and the mother’s), although they may spend more time with one of the two.
