In recent years, the family structure has changed, as well as family roles. What are the changes that have occured? Do you think these changes are positive or negative?

Lately, family units have changed drastically, both in terms of organization and task delegation. Most notable among these shifts are the tendency toward nuclear families and the rise of

women

as providers. I believe that these developments are positive. While it used to be common for members of an extended family to live together under one roof, nowadays most households typically consist of a married couple and their children.

This

is a welcome change, as too many individuals with different lifestyles living in the same space may create inconveniences and conflicts.

For example

, it is easy to imagine how having to share the bathroom with not only one's siblings but

also

with cousins and uncles could be extremely frustrating. The small size of a nuclear family,

by comparison

, ensures that everyone can use the facilities in the house comfortably. In terms of family roles, the most noteworthy change over the past decade is the growing financial contribution of

women

. 20 years ago, men were still the breadwinner in most households and

women

were tasked with childbearing, cooking and chores. Today, typically, both spouses work, in many cases, the husband decides to step back and become a stay-at-home father while his partner joins the workforce and becomes the sole income earner.

This

is

also

a change worth celebrating since it pushes for greater gender equality not only in education but

also

in the workplace. At the same time, as more men take over the responsibilities traditionally reserved for

women

, they may come to have a greater appreciation for the roles that wives and mothers play. In conclusion, the move away from multigenerational families to nuclear ones and the growing importance of

women

are two key trends in the family, and I would contend that these trends are advantageous.