If you're wondering why families are important to individuals, there are a number of reasons. The definition of family is one that seems to change with the times, but it usually includes a group of people related to each other and living together. Like many social relationships, strong bonds with family members can have great benefits for society and individuals.
Why Are Families Important to Individuals?
Family support is important to individuals for a variety of reasons, most of which are related to your personal well-being. Family is important to individuals because it provides benefits to your physical, emotional, and mental health that can't be found anywhere else.
Family Improves Overall Well-Being for Individuals
Over many years, research consistently shows kids who grow up living with their biological, married parents have better overall well-being than kids who are living in a different scenario. In these kinds of families, kids and parents get plenty of time together, there is often more economic security, and there is less emotional distress.
Families Provide Personal Stress Relief
Family ties have been shown to provide stress relief by boosting self-esteem and lessening anxiety, especially for young people who have been exposed to violence. This strong bond can act as a sort of protective shield and offers a sense of belonging in troubling times.
Family Meals Contribute to Healthy Diets
Across all ages, families who eat meals together have healthier diets that include eating breakfast, ample fruits and vegetables, and fewer processed foods. These healthy food choices create a foundation that lasts up to five years later for teens. Grandparents who eat alone are more likely to skip meals and eat foods with decreased nutritional values, so family meal-time is important in every generation.
Early Family Bonds Help Regulate Personal Emotions
Children who experience healthy family relationships at a young age show more control and regulation of their emotions when they're older reports Sage Journals. People who have more control over regulating their emotions are self-aware and able to deal with feelings of any kind in appropriate and healthy ways.
Family Closeness Helps People Live Longer
In a recent long-term study, researchers found adults with no close relationships to family members other than a spouse were about twice as likely to to die as adults with close family relationships. Results from the study also showed a lot of strong family ties were more beneficial than a few strong family relationships, and family bonds lengthened life more than friendship bonds. It seems there's something special about family members that makes people feel supported and happy in a way no other person can.
Why Are Families Important to Society?
The importance of family in modern society is evident when you examine research about topics like crime, the economy, and social services. The important thing to remember is that family type isn't as important as the stability of the family unit.
Family Ties Help Regulate the Economy
Families who share strong bonds tend to prefer living situations where they can remain close in proximity. This contributes to more regulated jobs and wages because families who stay together want a job market where they have security and fair wages so they won't have to move away. Labor markets are often dictated at their core by the workforce in the area.
Strong Family Values Promote Wealth in the Economy
Families that include a married couple and their biological children promote wealth in the family and the economy. These types of families have a higher median income than others and are strongly associated with economic growth. This built-in support system gives parents and kids the opportunity to pursue higher levels of education with lower living costs and provides encouragement for meeting individual potential.
Family Interactions Help Prevent Crime in Society
A recent review of research shows prisoners who are visited by family members have a 40 percent lower chance of becoming a repeat criminal than those with no family visits. Unconditionally supportive relationships in great times of need or change can help people get through tough times. Those who have made bad choices and continue to receive emotional support from family maintain a sense of worth and have something in life to keep them motivated.
Family Values Influence Voting Behavior
You've heard that kids model the behavior of their parents and modeling is one of the strongest tools parents have, but did you know that childhood family values can last long into adulthood? Political experts agree that families who take their kids to the polls and discuss why they vote with their kids likely contribute to voter turnout in the future. Kids who watched their parents vote were more likely to view this act as duty of their citizenship.
The Importance of Your Family
Healthy family bonds and relationships give people a sense of belonging and help keep everyone balanced in life. Whether you're writing an essay about why family is important or analyzing your own life, take a look at your family and think about all the ways they enhance your life.
