- In what ways have families in your country changed in recent years?
Well, you know change is the word of the day. Everything is changing around us and families are not an exception to the trend. Nuclear families have been flourished across European countries and the number of such families in Greece is notable. The changes have taken place in the recent years, immediately after the year 2000. Most of the large families have broken down into smaller units and a few members live in such families. Such families consist a father, a mother and their kids. If they do not have any kids, the family turns smaller. It has happened for several reasons and to me, it appears that the rising of the daily expenses is a primary cause of the separation. Sometimes the other family members do not want to bear the skyrocketing expenses of the members and thus they split from the family and make their own family. Besides, with the modernisation, people want to live in modern and smaller houses filled with the modern amenities. But they do not get so in the large houses where the extended families usually live in. Moreover, mental complexity among the extended family members is also a potential cause for the separation.
- Should husbands and wives have different roles within the family? Why / why not?
Umm, yes, I think that the husbands and wives have different things do in a family. Humans cannot live alone, they need companions and I think a husband or a wife is the best company ever found for each other on the planet. So, to run the family, both of them should share the responsibilities. Without sharing the roles, a family cannot run well and consequently, the relationship turns bitter. For instance, a family is like a vehicle where the husband and the wife are like the wheels of that vehicle. If one of the wheels does not fit with the body or becomes larger than the other wheel, it becomes impossible to run that vehicle. All the wheels need to be equal. Thus, the husband of a family should share roles and responsibilities with his wife. Wage-earning was the key responsibility of a man, but that idea fitted in the primitive age. The current day situations are different. We are moving fast and a wide number of needs have emerged which is not possible for a woman to meet for her family. She needs a hand to share the responsibilities and this is the husband who needs to extend the helping hand to her wife and the family.
- Which is more important to you – your family or your friends?
Ahh! This is a sensitive question for me as I prefer both in my life. But if you want me to be strict, then I should favour my family. The family is the place where a man begins his life. It is the first institution to teach and socialise. It is more than an institution. The members of a family play the roles of teacher and guide the other members till they get matured. But the scenarios are not similar with friends. You may need friends but you may not get them when you need them most in your ‘situations’. But if you ask for help to your family members, they will be there always to help you. So, they are playing the role of protector as well in life. Besides, the family is taking care of yourself after your birth and been provided with all the necessary services and supports without any conditions or benefits. But sometimes, in my personal experiences, I have seen that many of my friends were with me for their benefits and when I could not serve them well, they left me. So, in a deep sense, I prefer my family than my friends but I want to be all of my friends as well. - What conflicts can arise between a person’s family and a person’s friends?
Umm, this is a thought-provoking issue for me. Yes, there are some situations that when a man has to experience a conflict between family and friends. I think the most prominent conflict might be the issue of being with family or friends. Let’s make it clear. You are with your friends and your mum told you to be at home by evening. But you could not make it go home within the prescribed time and had to experience some bitter words from your mum. It may also happen that she starts banning your movement with your friends. Again, you are with your family and passing a quality time. Your friends are continuously calling you to be with them. You failed to go there. It will also create a sense of misunderstanding between you and your friends. These are the potential and usual conflicts that may arise between friends and family. - What responsibilities do parents have towards their children?
Well, parents are the best teachers in the world for their kids. So, they should play their roles properly and the roles are not limited only rearing the children. The parents’ first and foremost role is to socialise their kids. Socialising helps the kids to be familiar with the social environment and behave accordingly in different changed situations. Secondly, the children should be taught to be patients over any of the issues and exercise the other human qualities in their real life. By this process, the parents will build a sense of perseverance among the kids and children that will help them to go ahead in their future without having any trouble or compromising with the situations. Besides, the parents should also take necessary measures to educate their children, the other important factor for the kids. Education is the most important thing that a human can gain in life and if the kids remain uneducated, they surely cannot survive in the absence of the parents. Moreover, the issue of morality should also be considered and the parents should inject the moral issues among their sons and daughters from the early childhood. When they will be older, it will be impossible to bring them on track if they get morally derailed from the early stage of their lives. - What responsibilities do children have towards their parents?
Hmm, the children also have some sort of responsibilities to their parents. The most important issue is that they should abide by all the orders and suggestions without questioning. They have to keep in mind that the parents never want their kids to be harmed in any way. Their love and affection towards the kids are priceless and unique. So, they should also respect parents properly. In the current days, the kids are tending to disobey their parents which are entirely unwanted and the events should be changed. If the kids follow the orders of their parents, they should be able to shine in future. The blessings they will receive from the parents will help them moving ahead easily in the coming days.
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Two-way discussion : Family
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