Family

A family is a fundamental social unit consisting of individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption. Traditionally, it includes parents and their children, but it can also encompass extended relationships such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Families serve as primary providers of emotional, financial, and social support; they are critical in the upbringing, nurturing, and education of children. The concept of family can vary across cultures and societies, affecting its structure and the roles of its members. Families can be nuclear (an immediate family unit) or extended (including relatives beyond the nuclear family). The dynamics within families can shape individual identities and influence social behaviors.