IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE AN IDEAL FAMILY?
We all know that a Family consists of a group of people who are related either by blood or by marriage. It is the primary unit where a child is taught rules, norms, values as well as social skills. The family is obviously the building block of the society. When can we say that a family is IDEAL? How do we define an ideal family?

Ideal simply means ‘PERFECT’. Let me share some scenarios with you.
In a nuclear Family, which consists of the Father, Mother and the children. This kind of family is closely knitted together, they stick to all their religious rights as well as family traditions, its more structured and each member of the family have well defined roles.

In an extended family where we have uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents etc. all living under the same roof. It is usually more fun with all the individuals bringing their characters on to spice up the atmosphere. Imagine all these people in one space lol. It`s amazing how every member of the family understand their roles and takes responsibility in carrying them out as well.
But then what is your opinion about blended families? In this case, either one or both of the parents usually have children which are not genetically related that they got from previous relationships. With all the pros and cons involved especially visitation rights, finances and adoption in some cases. Do you think it can still be listed as an ideal family?

Meanwhile, some families experience separation due to several reasons like migration, ill health, an overseas job offer, divorce, death etc. Due to these kinds of circumstances which may be beyond ones control, most of the parents become single for either a temporary or a permanent period. Do these family members still have an opportunity to be called an ideal family?
Another very important question is does having children in a home make it a Family? If yes, what about those couples without children, do they have a chance to be called an ideal family?

The family is a rapidly changing institution. You may have grown up in the stereotypical family – two parents and one or more children, with a father who worked outside the home and a mother who stayed home and cared for the children and the household. Today, with the entry of so many more women into the workforce, with the increasing divorce rate, and with the growing number of single-parent households, other family structures have become more common.

If your own family is not like the one you grew up in, your situation is certainly not unusual. Currently, a great number of families are headed by single parents, either divorced, widowed, or never married. Some children live in foster families; others live in step-families. In more than two thirds of families, both parents work outside the home.

Even if your own family fits the more traditional mould, your children will almost certainly have some friends who live in households with different structures. From time to time you can expect your youngsters to ask questions like “Why do people get divorced?” “How come Moosa’s mother and father don’t live together?” “Why does Aadila’s father live with another lady?” Because families are so important to children, parents need to be able to answer such questions with more than mere slogans or quick replies. By asking these questions, children are trying to understand two things about families: the different structures that families can take and the changes in structure, lifestyles and relationships that can occur.
Surveys have proven that there is no such word as an ideal family. We live in an imperfect world with imperfect people, we can only strive towards perfection by becoming the best version of ourselves thereby influencing our families, moment by moment.

In conclusion, if there was ever anything called an ideal family, the world would have turned out ideal as well, wouldn`t it?