Family Functions

Families around the world serve the same two purposes. First they provide for the survival of the family by living in groups. Group living is a basic characteristic of humanity. Security in numbers, sharing of work and tasks, and emotional support are all byproducts of group living and greatly increase the chances of the survival each family member. The second purpose families provide is the nurturing of children. Because children require nearly two decades of nurturing and teaching before they are ready to venture out into the world and start their own families, the family is able to provide "protection, nurturance, and interactions with members of both sexes." (Searles and Lee, 2002, p. 190). This has many advantages for the children because it not provides for their physical development, but also for their social and emotional development. They learn how to interact with different people, and how to behave according to social norms. The family provides emotional support during trying times, and helps give the child a sense of belonging and worth.