Family - Definition, 8 Functions Based on BKKBN, and Its Types
In this life, family is the first place where someone learns many things. With this family, a person is also determined whether they will become a successful person or not. And family is the smallest element of a society.
Friends can imagine if you do not have a family, of course, you will feel lonely, confused, and have difficulty living life. Speaking of family matters, here is the definition of family, its functions according to BKKBN, and its types.
Definition of Family
According to KBBI, family has at least 4 meanings. The first is a father, mother, and children in the household. The second is the people in the household who are dependents. Third, it means relatives. And the fourth is a basic kinship unit in society.
So which meaning is correct? All are correct, depending on the context in which you use the word family. If used to express a broad blood relationship, then it leans more towards kinship. While if used for close blood relations, it leans more towards father, mother, and children.
8 Functions of Family According to BKKBN
Because family is a fundamental element in a society, it is very important for everyone to know the functions of family. The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) formulates 8 family functions to provide knowledge to the community about what an ideal family should be.
1. Religious Function
The Republic of Indonesia is a religious country. There are at least 6 religions recognized in Indonesia. This diversity poses a challenge for us to harmonize plurality. The family has the function of instilling the basic values of the adopted religion. When every element of the citizen adheres to their religious teachings, peace will be easier to achieve.
2. Protection Function
The second function of the family is as a place of protection. A small child will find it easier to develop their potential when they have a place of protection.
3. Educational Socialization Function
The family is the first place a child learns. They will see how the people in their home respond to a problem. That is why the example set by a father and mother is very important for the child.
4. Love Function
No one loves us more than our parents. You can also feel how your parents show love towards you. When a child receives enough affection, they will grow into a person who loves others.
5. Reproductive Function
One of the purposes of marriage is to have offspring. This offspring is very important for the continuity of the generation. Just imagine if every person who gets married does not want to have children. Eventually, this country will run out of its young generation. Yet the young generation is the pillar of the nation's movement.
6. Economic Function
Money is not everything. However, most of our lives today require money. With a family, a person will be economically supported. In some cases, a person's economy improves when they find a more established partner.
7. Socio-Cultural Function
Seeing Indonesia, which is rich in ethnic groups, this impacts the increasing number of cultures that must be preserved to avoid extinction. The family is one of the initial places for a child to love their culture through what is taught by their parents. And this is the role of the family as a cultural preserver.
8. Environmental Function
The problem of many people not throwing trash in its place starts from families that do not pay attention to small things. Throwing trash in its place may seem trivial. However, when everyone throws trash carelessly, it becomes a serious problem.
The family has the obligation to teach its members to take care of their living environment. One simple example is by maintaining environmental cleanliness and not littering.
Types of Family
After you know the functions of family, another thing you need to know is that there are many types of families in this world. What are they?
Family Based on Scope
Based on its scope, families are divided into 3 types. The first is the nuclear family. The nuclear family consists of a father, mother, and children.
The second type is the conjugal family. The conjugal family includes a father, mother, children, grandparents. The third type is the extended family. The extended family includes a father, mother, children, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and family members who still have marital ties.
Family Based on Authority
Every family has rules and a highest leader. In this world, there are at least 3 types of families based on authority or their highest leader.
The first is patriarchal. In the patriarchal type, the highest leadership is held by the husband. The second type is matriarchal. The highest leadership is held by the wife. Most families in Indonesia follow the patriarchal type.
The third type is equalitarian. In this third type, power is held equally by the husband and wife.
Family Based on Marriage Type
Based on the type of marriage, families are divided into three types, namely: monogamy, polygamy, and polyandry. Monogamy is when a husband has one wife. Polygamy is when a husband has multiple wives. While polyandry is when a wife has multiple husbands.
The practice of polyandry is rarely found in this world. However, you can find this practice in India.
Family Based on Member Type
In life, things are not always ideal; not all marriages last until death. This is what causes several types of families based on member types.
The first type is the nuclear family, consisting of a father, mother, and children. The next type is the extended family, which consists of a father, mother, children, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and others.
Another type is the chain family. The chain family usually involves the marriage of a widower with a widow who brings children from a previous marriage. This is quite often encountered around us.
You must have also heard the term single family, right? In Indonesian, this is called a single family. Usually, this type of family is like a nuclear family but with an element missing, such as no husband or no wife.
Additionally, there is a compositional family type. This type of family results from polygamous marriages, and they live together. They can be in one house or their houses are close together.
The last type, although rarely discussed, occurs frequently abroad, which is the cohabitation family type. In our idiom, this is usually known as living together without marriage. This family forms without any marital ties. They also have children and live together like husband and wife, but without the status of marriage. This is common abroad because the culture there supports this type of family.
What about in Indonesia? Indonesia still adheres to Eastern customs, which consider living together without marriage as taboo. Living together without marriage also has negative impacts and harms women.
That is some information about the functions and types of families that the author can convey. I hope this information is beneficial for you.
Author: Iskael
