Family patterns and the generation gap

A single parent family is made out of one of the two parents and one child or children.It is the type of family where kids usually complain about loneliness and lack of quality time spent with one or both parents. The single parent  always complains about the family responsibilities he /she has to face alone without a partner to share the household chores or the covering of the family expenses with. However, the single parent sometimes appreciates the opportunity of being able to bring up the kids away from the other parent's bad habits as well as the amount of freedom and independence he /she may enjoy.




A nuclear family is a family composed of both parents and their child or children.The family responsabilities are usually shared by the couple which gives them the opportunity to save effort, money and especially a quality time to spend with their kids.Yet kids usually miss the adult they can lean on for support and comfort when both parents are at work.Therefore they sometimes undergo the same feeling of loneliness as the kids raised in a single- parent family when they have to be left to themselves or to baby sitters from time to time.

The extended family is a family pattern in which grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins and siblings all live together in one household or just near by where all adults feel the obligation to share family responsibilities.Children are usually in presence of one or more adults to rely on for support and wisdom.However, kids raised in extended families usually coplain about having to put up with old people's old fashioned point of views.Adults also complain about grandparents criticizing repeatedly the way the parents bring up their children.

In every family pattern we can find different complaints from parents or children from aspects of the life they are leading together.However, the common complaint in all family patterns is the complaint of children and parents about the generation gap.Teenagers claim that their parents and grandparents disapprove of their appearance, the way they behave,talk, walk or have their hair cut.They even disagree with their parents' interfiering with their school results, choice of friends and relationships.
Parents on the other hand complain about their children's odd behaviour ,disobedience, irresponsibility and disrespect.They think that teenagers are moody and especially ungrateful towards all the sacrifices the parents have done for them.