A family is basically a group of people consisting of a father and mother with their children living as a unit. A family is an essential part of the society, and for a society to function properly the families in it must be in a good state. The family is the first school of our life and we learn manners and customs from the family.
There are some specific needs that must be met for a modern family to survive properly in today’s society. In this article, we are going to look at the basic and essential needs of a modern family.
Because of the recent changes in family structure, this following ten things will cover all types of families, including sole-parent families.
What are the Basic and Essential Needs of a Modern Family?
1. Housing:
One of the most important needs of a family is shelter, because every family needs a base. For a family to survive and for its members to live in ease, there should be a house.
A modern family needs a decent house with dedicated space for each member, right down to the pets. For a person to live daily life and add value to his/her society, he must have access to basic amenities that a house provides; a kitchen, toilet, bathroom, etc.
Each member of the family should also be given the autonomy to design their space as they see fit. This freedom of expression is great for self-discovery and self-awareness, great qualities that enable an individual to be of value to the society.
2. Food:
Food is the fuel we need to survive, we need the energy to move around and actually live life, and this energy comes from food. Like housing or shelter, food is also an integral part of the day to day needs of a family.
In this modern-day and age, food is starting to serve medicinal purposes, so every member of a family should have access to a balanced diet. Children especially need a balanced diet to grow properly in mind and body.
Moreover, parents can be role models to their children during family meals by showing healthy eating ideas and teaching polite table manners.
3. Security:
The world has grown in many ways, and this has increased the dangers out there, so every modern family needs protection. Protection on all fronts, in the physical world and on the virtual world.
This responsibility most times lies on the shoulders of the older members of the family, they have a duty to protect the young ones, especially children and infants who are innocent and oblivious of the dangers out in the world.
The house a family lives in should have security measures put in place for protection; alarms, security cameras, etc. There are numerous security solutions that families can take advantage of to ensure protection.
There should also be security in the sense that there should be trust between all the members of a family, they should be able to effectively communicate and confide in each other.
4. Clothing:
Geographical location and other factors determine the type of clothing that will be appropriate, so a family must dress accordingly to protect itself from the elements. It is very important that every member of a family dresses appropriately for the weather and their age.
5. Effective Communication:
Effective communication is the foundation of any great relationship, it creates a conducive environment for expression. This expression is very important in every family, there must be a free flow between the members of a family.
The modern family should take advantage of technology to enhance communication, however, members must try not to replace face-to-face communication with these modes. Modern communication tools can enhance and hinder proper communication so they should be used with care and discipline.
Communication doesn’t have to be only verbal, there are non-verbal forms of communication. Hugs are natural antidepressants, they offer serenity and balance, not everything has to be resolved with words.
6. Education:
Families and education have a very close relationship, the family is the basis of a good education. The family is the root of everything, it is where everything starts, even before formal education. So, education is essential to the growth of any family.
Families must be educated and conscious to raise successful, intelligent, and creative children. The family must create a favorable and flexible environment for growth and development. This aspect is usually handled by the parents or the guardians, it is important that they themselves are educated so they can be positive influences on younger members of the family.
A kid’s education starts at home; parents are their first teachers and they have a key role in shaping up their character. A child’s learning scale is highly related to how they are treated at home. So, education must be high on the priority list of any family.
7. Access to information technology:
The Internet has grown in leaps and bounds over the years, technology now has a regular and functional presence in our everyday lives. So, knowledge of and access to information technology is very important in this modern-day and age.
Every family needs access to the internet. Access to information is very important for both early development and growth, members of a family must stay up to date on what’s happening and new inventions to be able to compete effectively in the society.
Information technology also makes learning easy, which makes educating every member of the family easy. Free access to resources encourages members of the family to be themselves and explore their interests.
8. Health:
As mentioned above, a family should provide its individual members with key resources for healthful living, including food, shelter, clothing, a sense of self-worth, security, but one of the most important things for the family is access to medical care.
Attention should be paid to family health and history as family members share their genes, as well their environment, lifestyle, and habits, so there is a possibility for there to be risks for certain diseases. Information and insight gotten from family history can be used to prevent diseases or manage existing conditions.
9. Love:
Being a part of a family means you are part of something very wonderful, it means you will be loved unconditionally for all of the time. Love is the bond that keeps a family together, so there must be an abundance of love in every family, unconditional love.
10. Order:
As much as it is important for there to be love and freedom of expression in a family, order is also needed to keep things running smoothly. There should be an order to things, the younger members of a family must respect the older members, and each member should recognize and accept their responsibilities and be responsible for fulfilling them.
Conclusion
The needs of a family are broad, just like the family itself is. But the essentials discussed in this article are enough to get a family started or keep a family firmly on its feet. Every family is unique, the needs of each family won’t be exactly the same, but the basic needs won’t stray far from housing, health, education, and the other factors enumerated in this article.