Oxford exam trainer Family and relationships
Traditional English Family
The average British family has classically been understood as a nuclear
family with the extended family living separately. However, today the
archetypical family (husband, wife and children) can no longer be the
exact social expectation as divorce, remarriage, cohabitation of couples
and births outside of marriage have become more common. According
to statistics, more children are being raised in single parent
households. The number of same-sex families have also increased by
40% since 2015, following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in
England Wales and Scotland in 2014. 1
However, while the traditional archetypal British family structure is no
longer an expected cultural standard, the family remains fundamentally
important to individuals throughout their life. The unique personal
relationships that family members share and the support they receive
from one another is considered the main form of the value of family
membership.
The preference for most British families is to have a small family unit.
This allows mobility and relieves economic pressure over a parent’s
lifetime. Studies show that most problems British families face are
related to being financially stretched. Parents often make strategic
choices about their children's education to secure a good economic
future for them. Children are encouraged to be independent and self-
reliant at an early age. However, more adult children are living with
their parents for economic reasons than ever before.
The average ages at which family life-events occur (e.g. marriage,
children, retirement) are rising, as people are tending to wait until later
in life to have children. This reflects the growing individualist orientation
of both men and women – particularly of the middle class – to want to
establish a career for themselves and travel before starting a family.
Women tend to be much older when they have their first child than
previous generations, the average age being 29. As a result of this older
age of conception, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is becoming more common.
The state pension is granted at 67 for men and 65 for women. (in
Hungary for both sexes 65) However, it is now common for people to
work later into life and remain in the workforce for several more years
after the age of retirement.
Gender Roles
British society has traditionally viewed men as the breadwinners of the
family, while women were seen as the homemakers and primary
caretakers of children. Such attitudes towards female gender roles have
changed significantly since the mid 20th century. For example, there’s
now almost universal support for female participation in the labour
force and political office. However, while women enjoy equal rights and
the opportunity to choose their form of contribution to the household
dynamic, traditional views on family and household duties prevail. As a
result, women on average earn less and have reduced work hours in
order to be the primary caretakers of children.
Marriage and Dating
British dating practices are similar to those of other English-speaking
western cultures. It is common for couples to meet through their social
circles, workplaces or hobbies. Online dating services are popular
amongst several age groups. Younger people may use free apps for
casual dating, whilst middle-aged adults or elderly people looking to
find serious or long-term partners tend to prefer dating websites that
require paid membership.
Dates usually happen in contexts that allow for the couple to engage in
enough conversation to get to know one another (for example, over a
meal or drink). It is common for a British person to ‘date’ or get to know
multiple people at once over a period of time without having an
exclusive relationship with any of those people. If feelings develop for a
particular person, they usually stop meeting new dates or seeing
others. Instead they usually pursue that one person until he or she
agrees to be in a committed relationship with them or indicates they are
not interested.
While unmarried cohabitation and divorce have increased, British
people remain committed and dedicated to partnership. Emphasis is
placed on a couple’s intimate love for one another, rather than the
social expectations of a marriage contract. The average British couple
will be in a relationship for multiple years and live together before
getting married. This varies significantly between individual
circumstances and family backgrounds. The average age of (first)
marriage is 33 for men and 30 for women.
Almost half of British marriages end in divorce. However, the institution
of marriage is still dominant and highly valued. It is expected in society
that any strong couple will want to ‘take that step’. Nevertheless, some
couples choose not to marry and remain in a de facto partnership
whilst maintaining the same function and relationship as a married
couple.
sporce
https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/british-culture/british-culture-family
B1 General questions about the topic
What is your family like?
Is it better to live in a small or a big family? Why?
To be an only child or to have many siblings?
What is the best age to get married?
What is the best age to have children?
What is your ideal family like?
Do you do housework at home? What?
How do you share housework in your family? Is it any different from your preference?
What can help us do the housework?
B2 Questions
What are the possible consequences of starting a family at a later age?
What are the traditional roles?
What has changed the traditional gender roles?
What consequences can these changes might cause?
How is it possible to balance professional and private life?
Should women be paid for housework?
Are men capable of raising a child?
Who do you look up to in your family?
How do we learn the gender roles? Do toys have a part in this process?
What can the most common causes for arguments be amongst family members and friends?
