1.INTRODUCTION

The family world has undergone significant paradigm shifts over the years, reflecting broader societal changes and evolving values. These shifts signify departure from our usual conventional norms towards a more inclusive, adaptive, respectful, and most importantly a diverse family world. In this article, we will be reviewing the different shifts in the family world.

1.1 Evolution of Family Structures

Before the 20th century, it was common to give birth to an average of at least 5 children per family[1] and the father must be the head of the family who also goes out and works, while the mother must be the housemaker while taking care of all her children. In the current households, there are 3 children at the most per family and it is more common to see families with 1 or 2 children. There are now single-parent households where one of the parents raise all the children themselves without the other parent due to causes such as divorce, choice, separation or other circumstances. This shift especially has reshaped the dynamics of parenting and uplifted the resilience of single parents in managing household responsibilities. Another interesting type of family is the Blended family. This is where, as the name suggests, there is a blend or joining of different families due to remarriages and cohabitation which leads to the children living with their step-parent or step-siblings. There is also the Same-Sex parenting which was only possible due to the acceptance and recognition of Same-Sex marriage. Then come the Multi-generational families, where due to factors such as economy, cultural values, or other circumstances leads to multiple generations living under one roof. This arrangement usually fosters shared responsibility and sometimes leads to problems but is eventually worked out by the members of the families themselves. Coming to Inter-racial families, where both partners are from completely different cultures and countries, give them an opportunity in celebrating multiculturalism. This includes appreciating and respecting each other's cultures, languages, and family backgrounds. These families often indulge in conversations that allow them to explore heritage and values of belonging to another culture. And these conversations usually contribute to the formation of mutual respect, understanding, and as already mentioned earlier, appreciation of various cultural backgrounds.

1.2 Gender roles and Equality

In current households, there has been a notable move towards a more equitable distribution of chores and responsibilities. The women have also started providing financially for their children and family while the men have started sharing tasks like cooking, cleaning, most importantly childcare and eldercare. This is why most of the families these days are based on dual-income, as the name is self-explanatory, this situation is when both the parties of the household bring money to the table to provide for the family and children's well-being. Though there has definitely been progress, women still perform a larger share of chores and caregiving activities as compared to men. This disparity is mostly influenced by societal norms and expectations. One of the most important progressions in families is the birth of girl children. There is no more killing of the girl child and most families have stopped preferring to have a male child. Girls are also given equal education as the boys and given more educational and career opportunities, leading them to empowerment and fostering respect from their peers and most importantly, their own families. More and more families are embracing flexible work-personal life balance to spend more time and to be more physically and emotionally connected with their respective families. There are still some challenges faced by women such as career interruptions due to child-birth or pregnancy, usually for which there is the 'maternity leave' which allows the women to be present with their children during the initial caregiving phase while being fully paid due to the Maternity Benefit Act 1961[2]. Though this is a great move on the companies' part, it is still emotionally difficult for the women to bounce back to work after a few months or their specific time period. But on the brighter side, women are now achieving higher levels of financial independence and as already mentioned, contributing to the family's income. Families are now making decisions collaboratively, considering both partners' input on matters such as finance, education of the children, and other major life choices. There are now communication shifts within families;Open communication between partners regarding their roles, aspirations, challenges have improved, fostering in a more egalitarian relationship.

1.3 Parenting Style and Education

Parenting style has now become supportive and inclusive. It has now evolved to prioritise support, empathy, and emotional caregiving rather than unnecessary violence and criticism. Families are embracing more positive disciplinary methods, encouraging open communication with their children and creating an inclusive environment for their children to feel heard, valued and respected. Not only do parents actively engage in their child's educational institutions, advocating to their child's needs and participating in their academic journey. They prioritize holistic wellness such as taking care of their physical, emotional and spiritual aspects with activities like sports, yoga, self-defence etc. One of the most important aspects now being cared for by the parents is the Mental-Health awareness in their child's life. Having open and unashamed discussions about mental health, seeking therapy, and prioritising self-care have now become normalised. Families are recognising the importance of emotional well-being and providing support systems and being supporting themselves for members facing mental health challenges.

1.4 Influence of Technology

Technology as a whole has revolutionised communication within families. It enables instant connectivity with family members regardless of geographical distances and is a platform for unlimited self-education. However, it is also a challenge as some people indulge in excessive screen time, social media pressure and sometimes even threatened due to online safety of personal information. It has given parents an opportunity to work from the comfortability of their own homes which in order gives them an opportunity to spend more time with their spouses and children. Speaking of Technology in an educational aspect, it provides an online learning platform for both children and adults in the form of educational apps, tv channels, games and other digital resources which offer new resources for personal growth and opportunities for learning. Technology has also provided unlimited entertaining access in the form of streaming services, gaming platforms, and social media but has increased the experience of excessive screen time. But it also provides parental controls, which allows parents to monitor and regulate their children's online activities to ensure online safety and prevent cyber bullying or other forms of violence.

2. CONCLUSION

Family structures have diversified significantly and drastically, moving away from a singular perspective to a more inclusive understanding of familial relationships. These paradigm shifts reflect embracing diversified compositions, challenging traditional norms, and most importantly, uplifting the resilience and adaptability of families in navigating the positive changes in the family dynamics.

3. CITATIONS 1. Fertility rate, children per woman, available at (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/children-born-per-woman ?tab=chartyear=1821time=1770..2019country=CHN+GRC+IND+PHL+POL+RUS+GBR+USA ), last visited(21-12-2023).

2. Section 5, Right to payment of Maternity Benefit, available at (https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_6_6_00024_196153_1517807324059orderno=5), last visited(21-12-2023).