The Medium Family
Are large and small families the only allowable type of family for this classification? How about a hybrid, a "medium" family for a change?
I wouldn't call my family a large family. Though we are four siblings in the house and do have some extended family members around once in a while the way we were raised has all the attributes of a small family. Thus, merging the size and the lifestyle means my family doesn't really fit into the standard large and small family type.
Whether it is large, medium or small, having a family is a wonderful privilege. If there is one thing that has remained constant and controlling for all humans, it is our sense of belonging. Every human wants to belong to a place, a family, an organization or even, a person. That's why those who suffer from failed marriages will still go on and try again despite the possibility of another loss.
Are they stupid to have another go at it? No, they are absolutely not. They are humans. They need to be loved and cherished. How better do one feel loved than to know one is a huge part of another person's life? That's why family is important. We even go as far as using someone else's name as our surname because that's the family we belong to. Without saying, belonging to a family is vital.
Back to my medium family, one of the things I enjoyed about it is the undivided, individual attention our parents gave to each child. There was no case of lumping us all together and using the "one size fits all" approach to raise us. They knew it would never work. We were different individuals with different needs.
The individualized approach not only made sure we were properly nurtured but also we grew up not without any form of rivalry as prevalent in some homes. We all knew we would be attended to and each person waited for his turn. It fostered a very strong bond between us all. Even the extended family members that stayed with us felt that love. They weren't alienated.
Another perks of this wonderful family is the little amount of time it always takes us to come to a conclusion about somewhat difficult situations. The close knit bond between us meant we weren't always overly opinionated. Decision-making was simpler and more straightforward. And, every one was carried along and considered before each conclusion. No one was made to feel like an outsider in the family.
Of the wonderful perks of this family, one thing that caused a little bit of worry was the financial strain and its inflexibility on our parents. I'm not from the very rich side so there were occasional periods of lack/want. Of course, in those periods one will not but notice how less complex the situation would've been if we had no extended members. Despite that, our parents never allowed such thoughts to dwell in us for long. We are family, extended or not. And that's the only thing that matters.
If money was no issue, I would love to raise a "medium" family like my parents did. With the occasional period of lack out of the way, every moment spent with my family was wonderful. We still meet each year end to celebrate and reminisce. We still meet to discuss our lives and how to help each other grow. No one is staying in another's airspace; no one is competing with the other.
If I have my way, I would raise a medium family with love and care. As for a large family, the amount of scandal I've heard and read about them scares the shit out of me. Maintaining such a family will be energy sapping. I guess I'll pass on that. As for me, it's all about the medium, hybrid family.
