Living with your parents and other relatives can be beneficial for your mental health. On the International Day of Families, take a look at the advantages of residing in a joint family setup.
Meet Thasana Lourembam, a 25-year-old teacher from Manipur, who starts her day by preparing meals for her family along with her mother and aunt. Her cousins take care of household chores, while her brother tends to their grandparents. The father and uncle entertain the nieces. This joint family shares everything from joys and sorrows to successes and failures. Living in a joint family offers numerous benefits, such as reducing stress on individuals, creating a strong support system, nurturing bonds, and decreasing the risk of loneliness. On the International Day of Families celebrated on May 15 each year, let’s explore the advantages of residing in a joint family.
A joint family is characterized by multiple generations living together under the same roof, including grandparents, parents, children, and their spouses. This arrangement involves dividing resources, responsibilities, and decision-making among family members, as per psychotherapist and life coach Dr. Chandni Tugnait.
Research published in the BMC Public Health journal in 2021 suggests that children raised in joint families have better mental health compared to those in nuclear families. Additionally, a 2022 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health indicates that children with higher family engagement may experience fewer psychological issues and greater life satisfaction.
While nuclear families are becoming more common, the benefits of living in a joint family are numerous. These include:
1. Having a built-in support system for emotional, practical, and financial assistance during challenging times.
2. Distributing childcare, household chores, and caregiver duties among multiple family members to alleviate stress.
3. Facilitating intergenerational learning by sharing knowledge and skills across different age groups.
4. Boosting mental health by fostering a sense of identity, belonging, and emotional stability within the family.
5. Developing conflict resolution skills through effective communication and compromise within the family.
6. Providing companionship and social engagement for all family members, reducing the risk of loneliness and isolation.
7. Building emotional resilience and adaptability by learning from other family members’ coping techniques.
While there are many advantages to living in a joint family, it is important to acknowledge the potential drawbacks as well. These may include compromised individual privacy, conflicts arising from differences in values and lifestyles, interference in personal decisions, difficulty in setting boundaries, financial strain, and lifestyle conflicts.
To strengthen bonds within a joint family, Dr. Tugnait suggests prioritizing quality time together, establishing clear roles and boundaries, promoting open communication, celebrating achievements together, and preserving family traditions.
Embracing the unique dynamics and diversity of your joint family can lead to a harmonious and fulfilling living experience for all members. By building a strong support structure based on love, respect, and shared commitment, you can enjoy the benefits of living in a joint family.