Extended Family System Essay

Family is considered as the basic unit of the society; better family relations can mold better citizens, and therefore the construction of a family structure that will contribute to both individual and communal well-being is an essential prerequisite of a harmonious community. As Vicky Agarwal states, “A family is s set of human beings related to each other in a non-professional manner, giving rise to a concrete cohesion within the family. Love, care, and affection are the most prominent human values, which are responsible for maintaining these bonds of relationships within a family.” (Agarwal, 2005). Thus, it is evident that whatever may be the family structure, the family is judged based on the mutual communion and the warmth of relationships that its members possess and share.

In the modern age, the trend towards family structure has shifted to the nuclear system where a father, mother, and their children constitute a compact unit. But a large number of divorce rates, smaller family sizes, break up of familial ties, the growing tension, and unrest, problems connected with child-rearing, and the condition of parents and children living under the same roof as individual alien members in the nuclear family system have all forced people to reconsider their priorities for a better ideal family structure. There is no wonder one reconsiders and feels nostalgia for the age-old traditional family structure of the extended family system. “The basic concept of the joint family system is that more than one family come together under one roof and leads a life of mutual cooperation and interdependence.” (Meenakshi, 2001).

The joint family system proves to be a better structure to meet the needs of the time as it creates a strong sense of belonging to a greater family tie where each member is assigned a defined role and where everyone in the family is cared for and looked after. The eldest male member in the family acts as the supreme head of the family, and almost all decisions are taken by the male members of the family: “Decisions are taken exclusively by the male members and women and children are rarely consulted. They have no say in family discussions.” (The Family). The female members in the family are supposed to manage domestic affairs, including the rearing of children. Despite this male domination and the possible arbitrary decisions of the head of the family, the system is effective for a number of reasons. Divorces among joint family members are very rare; widows, ill members, old people, and children whose parents are dead are properly taken care of in the joint family system. Children in the family receive attention from all the members, and grandparents in the family instill in their minds strong cultural and traditional values. Unlike nuclear families, the responsibility of women becomes easier as it is shared among other female members. As Andrea states,” We have adopted a family form that is restrictive and tremendously costly particularly to the women who now must single-handedly perform what a whole extended family network would have helped us do a hundred years ago….” (The Nuclear Family: Or, if Nuclear’s bad for the Environment, why is it Good for People? 2006).

Despite all these merits, the joint family system suffered a great setback due to a number of reasons. Social changes and man’s inner thirst for one’s freedom have resulted in the acceptance of nuclear families: “In the 1960s, four main societal changes occurred that have had an enormous impact on the traditional family structure. The sexual revolution, women’s liberation movement, States’ relaxation of divorce laws, and mobility if American families have converged to foster family alienation, exacerbate old family rifts, and create new ones.” (Barbara Vol.130, Sept 2001). As people became more educated and industrialization became widespread, they went in search of job opportunities and educated younger generation found it impossible to live under an arbitrary leadership where their freedom of choice was neglected: “The problem arises when there is the interference of family members and uninvited opinion as to how one should live or react in situations.” (Meera Chowdhery, 2001). Another major reason was the spread of women’s education and women liberation movements that found better expression of women’s voice in the nuclear system: “Marxist feminists suggest that the nuclear family meets the needs of capitalism for the reproduction of maintenance of class and patriarchal inequality.” (Jay c, 2004).

Now the question is, how can a system that is capable of addressing many of the present-day problems of family breakdowns be so easily discarded? What we need today is not completely a nuclear system or an extended family system, but a mixture of both. An extended family system where there are provisions for individual freedom and where every member in the family, including children, is involved in the decision-making policy is most recommendable. “Children need opportunities to make decisions, to participate in family decisions and to observe the parents’ decision-making process and results.” (Your Family Strengths: Clear Responsibilities). Communication gaps act as the killer of family unity, and therefore measures are to be undertaken for timely family discussions where each member gets the feeling that he or she is respected. “The best way to be organized as a family is to hold weekly family discussions. By doing this, families enjoy a special closeness and stability.” (Family Discussion). Studies show that in the US, the number of joint families has increased recently: “According to the latest US census data, the number of households with three or more generations living under one roof grew 38% from 1990 to 2000, vs. 8% for those with just two generations.” (Anne Tergesen. Thomson Gale. Cooperative Library System, 14 June 2007). Thus, one can possibly hope for a resurgence of the extended family system with the necessary changes of outlook and practice that suit the modern environment.

Works Cited

  • Agarwal, Vikky. Analytic Views: Joint Family and Nuclear Family . Ezine Articles. Web.
  • Jha, Meenakshi. In Defense of Joint Family System. Bologi.com.
  • The Family . Web.
  • The Nuclear Family: Or, if Nuclear’s bad for the environment, why is it good for people? Andrea.
  • Lebey, Barbara. American Families are Drifting Apart. USA Today. Vol.130, 2001.
  • Chowdhery, Meera. Viability of a Joint Family! Bologi.com. 2001.
  • Jay, c. The Nuclear Family. Buzzle.com. 2004.
  • Your Family Strengths: Clear Responsibilities. Family Ties. SKC Homepage. 2007.
  • Family Discussion. Family Ties. SKC Homepage.
  • Tergesen, Anne. Three Generations. One Roof; More and More Households are Doubling up. Here’s how to make it work. Business Week 3957. 2005. 92. Business and Company ASAP. Thomson Gale. Cooperative Library System, 2007.
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, September 16). Extended Family System. https://ivypanda.com/essays/extended-family-system/

"Extended Family System." IvyPanda , 16 Sept. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/extended-family-system/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Extended Family System'. 16 September.

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1. IvyPanda . "Extended Family System." September 16, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/extended-family-system/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Extended Family System." September 16, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/extended-family-system/.

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About my family.

extended family email essay

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From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: My family

Let me tell you about my family. I live with my mum, my dad and my big sister. We live in California. My mum’s name is Carmen. She’s Mexican and she speaks English and Spanish. She’s a Spanish teacher. She’s short and slim, she’s got long, brown hair and brown eyes. My dad’s name is David. He’s American. He’s tall and a little fat! He’s got short brown hair and blue eyes. He works in a bank. My sister Shania is 14 and she loves listening to music. She listens to music all the time! She’s got long brown hair and green eyes, like me. I’ve got long hair too. We’ve got a pet dog, Brandy. He’s black and white and very friendly.

Write soon and tell me about your family.

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What are Extended Families?

Brian Waldock

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

From the many family types that are a focus in sociology, the extended family is perhaps one of the more common types. Extended families can sometimes be described as ‘horizontally’ extended and sometimes as ‘vertically’ extended or ‘beanpole’ family. Here, I look at the extended family as it might appear sociologically.

What Do We Mean By Extended Family

In general, the term ‘extended family’ refers to the core nuclear family plus additional blood-relatives. For example, the ‘ideal’ extended family might be two parents, two children, an aunt and uncle, and perhaps two grandparents. This does not mean that this is set in stone. An extended family unit can be comprised of different sets of relatives, non-blood relations, adopted children, or even a friend close enough to be considered family. Extended families can either be in the same household or geographically dispersed. It always helps to delineate between them and make it clear what is being referred to. The term ‘extended family household’ is perhaps most relevant to describe an extended family that lives under the same roof.

What are Horizontally Extended Families

The term ‘horizontally extended’ refers to an extended family which consists of members of similar generation. Think of it as a kind of line of latitude or latitudinally extended where the family unit is extended sideways to aunts, uncles, cousins etc. Glick et al. (1997) trace the increase of horizontally extended families in the US from Mexican and Central American immigrants. Patterns of migration from these countries and the environment in which they find themselves in the US has meant that poverty is prevalent and, as such, these families become much more reliant on the extended family network for support. They also tend to be of similar age thus the tendency towards being horizontally extended.

What are Vertically Extended or Beanpole Families

The term ‘vertically extended’ refers to the multi-generational aspect of an extended family. Like latitudinally extended, we could perhaps view vertically extended families as being lines of longitude or longitudinally extended families where the family household is extended upwards and downwards. Thus, children, parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents live within the same unit. Hegestad (2008: 23 cited in Vogt, 2020: 1235-1236) argues that vertically extended families are trending towards being ‘top heavy’. As people live longer, and in combination with an aging society and reduction in birth rates globally, the vertically extended family will begin to be characterised by a greater number of older family members. The term ‘beanpole’ family is the same principle except there are less children so the vertical family is ‘thinner’ so to speak and does not have much in the way of horizontal extension.

Characterising the Extended Family

Yorburg (1975: 6) characterises the extended family by attributing the following features:

  • Complete economic interdependence of kin network
  • Common ownership of economic resources
  • occupational cooperation
  • daily exchange of goods and services

Psychological

  • Psychological interdependence
  • Socialisation
  • Emotional support
  • Protection through confinement to kin network
  • Inter-generational
  • Daily contact
  • Geographic proximity

In this characterisation, we see that the extended family is interlinking at all levels. We can also view them as the function and role of extended families. This characterisation begins to make the nuclear family look rather isolated and vulnerable in comparison. Perhaps there is indication here that ideologically the nuclear family is idealised for that very purpose, to promote the isolation of family members and reduce the power of the family in face of capitalist exploitation.

Economics of the Extended family

When we think about the cost of running a household, it doesn’t always make sense when you think about the nuclear family relative to extended families. In westernised society, the isolation of the nuclear family means that nuclear families have a somewhat heavier financial burden. Although it is arguable that, for capitalism, this is a preferable arrangement, for families it is not. When nuclear families, or single parent families etc., have bills to pay, those bills often have a small-household disadvantage. For example, energy bills have a ‘standing charge’, a daily amount paid to the energy company as a cost of supplying you with energy. This means that having two households would mean two standing charges and two households of energy usage. The extended family goes someway to offsetting this issue by only paying one round of standing charge. There is a similar principle with TV licences, council tax, and water bills. Additionally, having multiple incomes coming into the same household not only means the possibility of averting poverty, but could go someway to paying mortgages or facilitating the acquisition of larger properties.

Reyes (2017: 123-124) divides the economic organisation of different extended family households into three categories:

Mutual Financial Support

In these extended families, the ‘auxiliary’ family contribute financially to the household in some form. By ‘auxiliary’, it means members of the family outside of the nuclear core. It does not necessarily have to be equal contributions but they do, in some way, financially contribute nonetheless giving a somewhat collective interest and involvement in running the family and the household.

Family Safety Net

Family safety net households are extended families where the nuclear core or primary family pay for all the costs associated with the household. The ‘auxiliary’ members of the extended family, if living in their own household, would be considered as living in poverty. The extended family then, provides a safety net for those extended members.

Unneeded Family Safety Net

Similar to the family safety net household, the unneeded family safety net household is one where the ‘auxiliary’ members of the family are not, and would not, be living in poverty if in their own household, yet do not contribute to the financial situation of the household. This implies that an extended family of this nature would be reasonably comfortable financially.

Stability of the Extended Family

Given the economic logic of the extended family, it seems to imply the potential for a more stable environment in other areas. Indeed, this has been shown to be the case. For example, Hwang & St. James-Roberts (1998) found that children had fewer emotional and behavioural problems over a given time frame than children from nuclear families. In legal cases, it has been argued that the extended family can be a source of stability and an aid for keeping children out of foster care and with members of their own extended family (Frankel, 2006: 326). This is also reflected in Taylor et al. (2017: 526) who highlight how the extended family can function as a fostering mechanism for families throughout the Caribbean.

Perhaps a criticism that is worth noting here is that the way in which extended families are referred to seems to consistently imply that the nuclear family is the standard family unit, the unit against which all others are compared. It seems to be something that we do unconsciously insofar as having a conditioned bias to see nuclear families as normal and extended families as that same nuclear family being extended outwards, with some kind of additional attachment to it; modular in a way. Perhaps if we viewed the nuclear family as abnormal and the extended family as normal, it might go some way to restoring some power to the family and away from capitalism. I am sure many feminists would disagree with this but that too is something to be considered. Either way, it is important to stay critical towards any kind of presupposed ‘normal’ particularly when it comes to family structures.

Glick, J. E., Bean, F. D. & Van Hook, J. V. (1997). Immigration and changing patterns of extended family household structure in the United States: 1970-1990. Journal of Marriage and the Family , 177–191. JSTOR.

Frankel, K. B. (2006). The Fourteenth Amendment due process right to family integrity applied to custody cases involving extended family members. Colum. JL & Soc. Probs. , 40 , 301. HeinOnline.

Hagestad, G.O. (2008). The Book-Ends: Emerging Perspectives on Children and old People. In: Families, Ageing and Social Policy: Intergenerational Solidarity in European Welfare States . Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Hwang, H. J. & St. James-Roberts, I. (1998). Emotional and behavioural problems in primary school children from nuclear and extended families in Korea. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines , 39 (7), 973–979. Cambridge University Press.

Reyes, A.M. (2017). The Economic Organization of Extended Family Households by Race or Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status. Journal of Marriage and Family , 80(1), pp.119–133.

Taylor, R. J., Forsythe-Brown, I., Lincoln, K. D. & Chatters, L. M. (2017). Extended family support networks of Caribbean Black adults in the United States. Journal of Family Issues , 38 (4), 522–546. Sage Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA.

Vogt, K. C. (2020). The extended family in transitions to adulthood: a dynamic approach. Journal of Youth Studies , 23 (9), 1234–1248. Taylor & Francis.

Yorburg, B. (1975). The Nuclear and the Extended Family: An Area of Conceptual Confusion. Journal of Comparative Family Studies , 6(1), pp.5–14.

Beanpole Family

What are stepfamilies, reconstituted families, and blended families, brian waldock.

Brian is a current PhD student in sociology. His thesis focuses on a range of concepts including platonism, bureaucracy, and abstract space. When not destroying his mind with theories, he indulges in the occasional video game, anime, chinese takeaway, or maybe even a very rare pint.

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extended family email essay

Essay about Family: What It Is and How to Nail It

extended family email essay

Humans naturally seek belonging within families, finding comfort in knowing someone always cares. Yet, families can also stir up insecurities and mental health struggles.

Family dynamics continue to intrigue researchers across different fields. Every year, new studies explore how these relationships shape our minds and emotions.

In this article, our dissertation service will guide you through writing a family essay. You can also dive into our list of topics for inspiration and explore some standout examples to spark your creativity.

What is Family Essay

A family essay takes a close look at the bonds and experiences within families. It's a common academic assignment, especially in subjects like sociology, psychology, and literature.

What is Family Essay

So, what's involved exactly? Simply put, it's an exploration of what family signifies to you. You might reflect on cherished family memories or contemplate the portrayal of families in various media.

What sets a family essay apart is its personal touch. It allows you to express your own thoughts and experiences. Moreover, it's versatile – you can analyze family dynamics, reminisce about family customs, or explore other facets of familial life.

If you're feeling uncertain about how to write an essay about family, don't worry; you can explore different perspectives and select topics that resonate with various aspects of family life.

Tips For Writing An Essay On Family Topics

A family essay typically follows a free-form style, unless specified otherwise, and adheres to the classic 5-paragraph structure. As you jot down your thoughts, aim to infuse your essay with inspiration and the essence of creative writing, unless your family essay topics lean towards complexity or science.

Tips For Writing An Essay On Family Topics

Here are some easy-to-follow tips from our essay service experts:

  • Focus on a Specific Aspect: Instead of a broad overview, delve into a specific angle that piques your interest, such as exploring how birth order influences sibling dynamics or examining the evolving role of grandparents in modern families.
  • Share Personal Anecdotes: Start your family essay introduction with a personal touch by sharing stories from your own experiences. Whether it's about a favorite tradition, a special trip, or a tough time, these stories make your writing more interesting.
  • Use Real-life Examples: Illustrate your points with concrete examples or anecdotes. Draw from sources like movies, books, historical events, or personal interviews to bring your ideas to life.
  • Explore Cultural Diversity: Consider the diverse array of family structures across different cultures. Compare traditional values, extended family systems, or the unique hurdles faced by multicultural families.
  • Take a Stance: Engage with contentious topics such as homeschooling, reproductive technologies, or governmental policies impacting families. Ensure your arguments are supported by solid evidence.
  • Delve into Psychology: Explore the psychological underpinnings of family dynamics, touching on concepts like attachment theory, childhood trauma, or patterns of dysfunction within families.
  • Emphasize Positivity: Share uplifting stories of families overcoming adversity or discuss strategies for nurturing strong, supportive family bonds.
  • Offer Practical Solutions: Wrap up your essay by proposing actionable solutions to common family challenges, such as fostering better communication, achieving work-life balance, or advocating for family-friendly policies.

Family Essay Topics

When it comes to writing, essay topics about family are often considered easier because we're intimately familiar with our own families. The more you understand about your family dynamics, traditions, and experiences, the clearer your ideas become.

If you're feeling uninspired or unsure of where to start, don't worry! Below, we have compiled a list of good family essay topics to help get your creative juices flowing. Whether you're assigned this type of essay or simply want to explore the topic, these suggestions from our history essay writer are tailored to spark your imagination and prompt meaningful reflection on different aspects of family life.

So, take a moment to peruse the list. Choose the essay topics about family that resonate most with you. Then, dive in and start exploring your family's stories, traditions, and connections through your writing.

  • Supporting Family Through Tough Times
  • Staying Connected with Relatives
  • Empathy and Compassion in Family Life
  • Strengthening Bonds Through Family Gatherings
  • Quality Time with Family: How Vital Is It?
  • Navigating Family Relationships Across Generations
  • Learning Kindness and Generosity in a Large Family
  • Communication in Healthy Family Dynamics
  • Forgiveness in Family Conflict Resolution
  • Building Trust Among Extended Family
  • Defining Family in Today's World
  • Understanding Nuclear Family: Various Views and Cultural Differences
  • Understanding Family Dynamics: Relationships Within the Family Unit
  • What Defines a Family Member?
  • Modernizing the Nuclear Family Concept
  • Exploring Shared Beliefs Among Family Members
  • Evolution of the Concept of Family Love Over Time
  • Examining Family Expectations
  • Modern Standards and the Idea of an Ideal Family
  • Life Experiences and Perceptions of Family Life
  • Genetics and Extended Family Connections
  • Utilizing Family Trees for Ancestral Links
  • The Role of Younger Siblings in Family Dynamics
  • Tracing Family History Through Oral Tradition and Genealogy
  • Tracing Family Values Through Your Family Tree
  • Exploring Your Elder Sister's Legacy in the Family Tree
  • Connecting Daily Habits to Family History
  • Documenting and Preserving Your Family's Legacy
  • Navigating Online Records and DNA Testing for Family History
  • Tradition as a Tool for Family Resilience
  • Involving Family in Daily Life to Maintain Traditions
  • Creating New Traditions for a Small Family
  • The Role of Traditions in Family Happiness
  • Family Recipes and Bonding at House Parties
  • Quality Time: The Secret Tradition for Family Happiness
  • The Joy of Cousins Visiting for Christmas
  • Including Family in Birthday Celebrations
  • Balancing Traditions and Unconditional Love
  • Building Family Bonds Through Traditions

Looking for Speedy Assistance With Your College Essays?

Reach out to our skilled writers, and they'll provide you with a top-notch paper that's sure to earn an A+ grade in record time!

Family Essay Example

For a better grasp of the essay on family, our team of skilled writers has crafted a great example. It looks into the subject matter, allowing you to explore and understand the intricacies involved in creating compelling family essays. So, check out our meticulously crafted sample to discover how to craft essays that are not only well-written but also thought-provoking and impactful.

Final Outlook

In wrapping up, let's remember: a family essay gives students a chance to showcase their academic skills and creativity by sharing personal stories. However, it's important to stick to academic standards when writing about these topics. We hope our list of topics sparked your creativity and got you on your way to a reflective journey. And if you hit a rough patch, you can just ask us to ' do my essay for me ' for top-notch results!

Having Trouble with Your Essay on the Family?

Our expert writers are committed to providing you with the best service possible in no time!

FAQs on Writing an Essay about Family

Family essays seem like something school children could be assigned at elementary schools, but family is no less important than climate change for our society today, and therefore it is one of the most central research themes.

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions on family-related topics. Before you conduct research, scroll through them and find out how to write an essay about your family.

How to Write an Essay About Your Family History?

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How to Write the Community Essay – Guide with Examples (2023-24)

September 6, 2023

community essay examples

Students applying to college this year will inevitably confront the community essay. In fact, most students will end up responding to several community essay prompts for different schools. For this reason, you should know more than simply how to approach the community essay as a genre. Rather, you will want to learn how to decipher the nuances of each particular prompt, in order to adapt your response appropriately. In this article, we’ll show you how to do just that, through several community essay examples. These examples will also demonstrate how to avoid cliché and make the community essay authentically and convincingly your own.

Emphasis on Community

Do keep in mind that inherent in the word “community” is the idea of multiple people. The personal statement already provides you with a chance to tell the college admissions committee about yourself as an individual. The community essay, however, suggests that you depict yourself among others. You can use this opportunity to your advantage by showing off interpersonal skills, for example. Or, perhaps you wish to relate a moment that forged important relationships. This in turn will indicate what kind of connections you’ll make in the classroom with college peers and professors.

Apart from comprising numerous people, a community can appear in many shapes and sizes. It could be as small as a volleyball team, or as large as a diaspora. It could fill a town soup kitchen, or spread across five boroughs. In fact, due to the internet, certain communities today don’t even require a physical place to congregate. Communities can form around a shared identity, shared place, shared hobby, shared ideology, or shared call to action. They can even arise due to a shared yet unforeseen circumstance.

What is the Community Essay All About?             

In a nutshell, the community essay should exhibit three things:

  • An aspect of yourself, 2. in the context of a community you belonged to, and 3. how this experience may shape your contribution to the community you’ll join in college.

It may look like a fairly simple equation: 1 + 2 = 3. However, each college will word their community essay prompt differently, so it’s important to look out for additional variables. One college may use the community essay as a way to glimpse your core values. Another may use the essay to understand how you would add to diversity on campus. Some may let you decide in which direction to take it—and there are many ways to go!

To get a better idea of how the prompts differ, let’s take a look at some real community essay prompts from the current admission cycle.

Sample 2023-2024 Community Essay Prompts

1) brown university.

“Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)”

A close reading of this prompt shows that Brown puts particular emphasis on place. They do this by using the words “home,” “College Hill,” and “where they came from.” Thus, Brown invites writers to think about community through the prism of place. They also emphasize the idea of personal growth or change, through the words “inspired or challenged you.” Therefore, Brown wishes to see how the place you grew up in has affected you. And, they want to know how you in turn will affect their college community.

“NYU was founded on the belief that a student’s identity should not dictate the ability for them to access higher education. That sense of opportunity for all students, of all backgrounds, remains a part of who we are today and a critical part of what makes us a world-class university. Our community embraces diversity, in all its forms, as a cornerstone of the NYU experience.

We would like to better understand how your experiences would help us to shape and grow our diverse community. Please respond in 250 words or less.”

Here, NYU places an emphasis on students’ “identity,” “backgrounds,” and “diversity,” rather than any physical place. (For some students, place may be tied up in those ideas.) Furthermore, while NYU doesn’t ask specifically how identity has changed the essay writer, they do ask about your “experience.” Take this to mean that you can still recount a specific moment, or several moments, that work to portray your particular background. You should also try to link your story with NYU’s values of inclusivity and opportunity.

3) University of Washington

“Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. (300 words max) Tip: Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values and viewpoints.”

UW ’s community essay prompt may look the most approachable, for they help define the idea of community. You’ll notice that most of their examples (“families,” “cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood”…) place an emphasis on people. This may clue you in on their desire to see the relationships you’ve made. At the same time, UW uses the words “individual” and “richly diverse.” They, like NYU, wish to see how you fit in and stand out, in order to boost campus diversity.

Writing Your First Community Essay

Begin by picking which community essay you’ll write first. (For practical reasons, you’ll probably want to go with whichever one is due earliest.) Spend time doing a close reading of the prompt, as we’ve done above. Underline key words. Try to interpret exactly what the prompt is asking through these keywords.

Next, brainstorm. I recommend doing this on a blank piece of paper with a pencil. Across the top, make a row of headings. These might be the communities you’re a part of, or the components that make up your identity. Then, jot down descriptive words underneath in each column—whatever comes to you. These words may invoke people and experiences you had with them, feelings, moments of growth, lessons learned, values developed, etc. Now, narrow in on the idea that offers the richest material and that corresponds fully with the prompt.

Lastly, write! You’ll definitely want to describe real moments, in vivid detail. This will keep your essay original, and help you avoid cliché. However, you’ll need to summarize the experience and answer the prompt succinctly, so don’t stray too far into storytelling mode.

How To Adapt Your Community Essay

Once your first essay is complete, you’ll need to adapt it to the other colleges involving community essays on your list. Again, you’ll want to turn to the prompt for a close reading, and recognize what makes this prompt different from the last. For example, let’s say you’ve written your essay for UW about belonging to your swim team, and how the sports dynamics shaped you. Adapting that essay to Brown’s prompt could involve more of a focus on place. You may ask yourself, how was my swim team in Alaska different than the swim teams we competed against in other states?

Once you’ve adapted the content, you’ll also want to adapt the wording to mimic the prompt. For example, let’s say your UW essay states, “Thinking back to my years in the pool…” As you adapt this essay to Brown’s prompt, you may notice that Brown uses the word “reflection.” Therefore, you might change this sentence to “Reflecting back on my years in the pool…” While this change is minute, it cleverly signals to the reader that you’ve paid attention to the prompt, and are giving that school your full attention.

What to Avoid When Writing the Community Essay  

  • Avoid cliché. Some students worry that their idea is cliché, or worse, that their background or identity is cliché. However, what makes an essay cliché is not the content, but the way the content is conveyed. This is where your voice and your descriptions become essential.
  • Avoid giving too many examples. Stick to one community, and one or two anecdotes arising from that community that allow you to answer the prompt fully.
  • Don’t exaggerate or twist facts. Sometimes students feel they must make themselves sound more “diverse” than they feel they are. Luckily, diversity is not a feeling. Likewise, diversity does not simply refer to one’s heritage. If the prompt is asking about your identity or background, you can show the originality of your experiences through your actions and your thinking.

Community Essay Examples and Analysis

Brown university community essay example.

I used to hate the NYC subway. I’ve taken it since I was six, going up and down Manhattan, to and from school. By high school, it was a daily nightmare. Spending so much time underground, underneath fluorescent lighting, squashed inside a rickety, rocking train car among strangers, some of whom wanted to talk about conspiracy theories, others who had bedbugs or B.O., or who manspread across two seats, or bickered—it wore me out. The challenge of going anywhere seemed absurd. I dreaded the claustrophobia and disgruntlement.

Yet the subway also inspired my understanding of community. I will never forget the morning I saw a man, several seats away, slide out of his seat and hit the floor. The thump shocked everyone to attention. What we noticed: he appeared drunk, possibly homeless. I was digesting this when a second man got up and, through a sort of awkward embrace, heaved the first man back into his seat. The rest of us had stuck to subway social codes: don’t step out of line. Yet this second man’s silent actions spoke loudly. They said, “I care.”

That day I realized I belong to a group of strangers. What holds us together is our transience, our vulnerabilities, and a willingness to assist. This community is not perfect but one in motion, a perpetual work-in-progress. Now I make it my aim to hold others up. I plan to contribute to the Brown community by helping fellow students and strangers in moments of precariousness.    

Brown University Community Essay Example Analysis

Here the student finds an original way to write about where they come from. The subway is not their home, yet it remains integral to ideas of belonging. The student shows how a community can be built between strangers, in their responsibility toward each other. The student succeeds at incorporating key words from the prompt (“challenge,” “inspired” “Brown community,” “contribute”) into their community essay.

UW Community Essay Example

I grew up in Hawaii, a world bound by water and rich in diversity. In school we learned that this sacred land was invaded, first by Captain Cook, then by missionaries, whalers, traders, plantation owners, and the U.S. government. My parents became part of this problematic takeover when they moved here in the 90s. The first community we knew was our church congregation. At the beginning of mass, we shook hands with our neighbors. We held hands again when we sang the Lord’s Prayer. I didn’t realize our church wasn’t “normal” until our diocese was informed that we had to stop dancing hula and singing Hawaiian hymns. The order came from the Pope himself.

Eventually, I lost faith in God and organized institutions. I thought the banning of hula—an ancient and pure form of expression—seemed medieval, ignorant, and unfair, given that the Hawaiian religion had already been stamped out. I felt a lack of community and a distrust for any place in which I might find one. As a postcolonial inhabitant, I could never belong to the Hawaiian culture, no matter how much I valued it. Then, I was shocked to learn that Queen Ka’ahumanu herself had eliminated the Kapu system, a strict code of conduct in which women were inferior to men. Next went the Hawaiian religion. Queen Ka’ahumanu burned all the temples before turning to Christianity, hoping this religion would offer better opportunities for her people.

Community Essay (Continued)

I’m not sure what to make of this history. Should I view Queen Ka’ahumanu as a feminist hero, or another failure in her islands’ tragedy? Nothing is black and white about her story, but she did what she thought was beneficial to her people, regardless of tradition. From her story, I’ve learned to accept complexity. I can disagree with institutionalized religion while still believing in my neighbors. I am a product of this place and their presence. At UW, I plan to add to campus diversity through my experience, knowing that diversity comes with contradictions and complications, all of which should be approached with an open and informed mind.

UW Community Essay Example Analysis

This student also manages to weave in words from the prompt (“family,” “community,” “world,” “product of it,” “add to the diversity,” etc.). Moreover, the student picks one of the examples of community mentioned in the prompt, (namely, a religious group,) and deepens their answer by addressing the complexity inherent in the community they’ve been involved in. While the student displays an inner turmoil about their identity and participation, they find a way to show how they’d contribute to an open-minded campus through their values and intellectual rigor.

What’s Next

For more on supplemental essays and essay writing guides, check out the following articles:

  • How to Write the Why This Major Essay + Example
  • How to Write the Overcoming Challenges Essay + Example
  • How to Start a College Essay – 12 Techniques and Tips
  • College Essay

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Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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Definition of Extended Families: Meanings and Roles

Michele is a writer who has been published both locally and internationally.

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A definition of extended families is simply a family unit that extends past the nuclear family to include other relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents. There is more to an extended family, however, than just a list of relatives, and understanding the structure of an extended family and why it can be a valuable type of family unit can help you better understand your own family structure.

What Does Extended Family Mean?

An extended family can also be called a complex family, joint family, or multi-generational family. In most cultures, the "core" of the family is the nuclear family , the parents and their children, while additional relatives are considered "extended." This type of family unit has multiple relatives or close friends other than just the parents and their children living in the same household or keeping close ties and taking on responsibilities for that household. The key characteristic of the extended family is that there are multiple adults in the family that are not parents of the children, though they may also have parent-like family roles and share in the responsibilities for providing for the whole family, either by contributing financially or in other ways. These extended family members could include aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives.

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Modified Extended Family Definition

Thanks to technology, family members living far away from each other can now contribute to the care of extended family members from afar with ease. A modified extended family, or dispersed extended family, includes family members who don't live in the same household, or even the same area, but keep close ties with each other. These types of extended families may include one or more members who regularly send money to each other.

Extended Family Members

In most modern extended families, only one married couple per generation lives in the home, although there are plenty of examples of multiple married couples and their children living together. Young married couples without children may also continue to live as part of an extended family until they have their own children and are better able to move out on their own. Every extended family can be different , and the relatives or near-relatives who are part of a multi-generational family in addition to the parents and their children (either biological, adopted, or foster) might include:

  • Grandparents
  • Great-grandparents
  • Close friends
  • Close co-workers

Extended Family Member Roles

No matter who is a member of the extended family, there is often only one head of the household for family groups living together. Depending on the size of the family and the roles each member plays, that leader may be the oldest, most senior family member, or the most prominent breadwinner who contributes a significant portion of the family's finances. Another way to determine the head of the household is by whose home it was initially; a young couple living in a parent's home will see the older generation as the heads of household, whereas a grandparent who moves into her son or daughter's home will see her child as the head of the household.

Why Extended Families Exist

The extended family is the basic family unit and is quite common in southern and eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific Islands, and Latin America, but it is less common in western Europe and North America. The reasons for extended families to be so prominent vary, and some factors are cultural; for example, it may be considered inappropriate for adult children to leave their parents' home until they have children of their own. Some families may have several adult children still residing at home, providing parent-like role models to younger siblings. Other reasons for extended families to thrive include:

  • Economics : With more adults living as part of the same family unit, the entire family may be in a better financial situation with more individuals contributing to living costs. Some family members may be able to provide care for young children in this arrangement, eliminating child care costs as well.
  • Health : When an older family member needs regular care, it is common for that individual to move in with his children or other relatives. This can be an alternative to nursing home care or assisted living facilities.
  • Divorce : After a divorce, the now-divorced parents may return to their parents' homes, often bringing their children along. This may be a temporary arrangement or could be a long-term living situation, often depending on finances, career changes, child care, and other factors.

Benefits of Extended Families

Whatever the reason for an extended family to exist, it can be a great arrangement for all the family members. The benefits of an extended family include:

  • Greater security for family members to feel connected
  • Greater financial security with multiple working adults
  • Increased sharing of cultural and cross-generational family values
  • More role models for younger family members

Famous Examples of Extended Families

Examples of extended families are all around in real life and fictional life in books, on TV, or in movies.

  • While the families on the TV show Modern Family don't all live in the same house, they are a good example of a modified extended family because they keep close ties while living apart.
  • The TV show Full House featured Danny living with his brother-in-law, his best friend, and his three daughters. Eventually his brother-in-laws wife moved in too and they had two kids who also lived in the home.
  • Tia and Tamera are twins who were separately adopted but eventually come to live together with Tia's adoptive mom and Tamera's adoptive dad, who aren't dating, in the TV show Sister, Sister .
  • On the Disney show Raven's Home , Raven lives with her two kids, her best friend, and her best friend's son.
  • TV shows like Friends and Grey's Anatomy show great examples of extended families that don't include many blood relatives. These people spend so much time together and support each other in a variety of ways, they consider themselves a family.
  • The McCallisters from the Home Alone movies frequently vacation together and obviously keep close ties as an example of a modified extended family.
  • In the book and movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Charlie lives with his parents and both sets of his grandparents.
  • In the Harry Potter books, Harry lives with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin at their house.
  • The TV show Two and a Half Men showed Alan living with his son and Alan's brother.

Positive Family Experience

An extended family includes multiple adults and kids or multiple generations of a family living in the same household or keeping very close ties. While it may have challenges for authority figures and balancing resources, it can also be a wonderful experience to be part of a close-knit, loving family with different relatives and generations.

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THE ROLE OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY

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In traditional, pre-industrial societies, the family fulfilled central functions for the survival of society itself and for its individual members. Murdock claims that the family has and had four functions:

Sexual (it contains a controlled outlet for sexual gratification which could otherwise lead to conflict and jealousies).

Reproductive (Allows adult to know the biological parents of children, therefore avoiding incest and delineating lines of descents).

Economic (it functions as a productive and consumption unit, ensuring the survival of the family).

Educational (Passes on the knowledge and skills from one generation to the next).

        In pre-industrial societies production largely depended on the amount of family labour accessible to in the land and the extended family was the most appropriate unit.

The extended family is defined as a grouping broader than the nuclear family which is related by descent, marriage or adoption. It existed as a structure of collective responsibility for its members even if they did not all live together in the same household.

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         One of Young and Wilmot’s work showed that the extended family survived well into the 20 th  century( their thesis fits in with the broad thrust of the functionalist theories) they argue that  while the short term consequences of industrialisation may have been the disruption of the family it has created a stronger nuclear family.

However it doesn’t mean that the extended family has ceased to be important.

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   Rosser and Harris found out that while the nuclear family became the family focus, the extended family continued to have a role, a modified role. Better communication, such as telephones and better cars means that the contact between extended families over long distances is much easier than in the past.

        Some problems that the extended family faced in the pre –industrial society was due to the fact that the development of wage labour broke up the household as a unit of production. With the growth of capitalism in the 18 th  century, production was carried out not by members of the family but by workers that got paid a wage for their labour.The family became a unit of consumption rather than production; its members no longer worked together but rather used the wages they had earned to buy goods which they consumed as a family unit.

        With industrial societies the extended family was a disadvantage because the nuclear family worked as a unit of production. Functions of wider kinship have been taken over by specialised agencies such as welfare state and also the nuclear family was more geographical mobile - able to search for work.

Furthermore, being in an extended family young people couldn’t be as independent as they desire to be. They needed to be independent of the families to find their own occupations and social positions. The family is not required to ascribe status.

        The advantages of the extended family system were that there is no welfare state. The extended family provides welfare, assistance, training, etc.

Secondly, it helps reduce the level of social conflict. Problems are resolved in the family and not by law and last but not least people develop a strong sense of attachment and identity to a group or an area.

        

Parson claimed that the industrial revolution weakened the extended family by taking away crucial economic and social functions from the family. However, an alternative approach comes from Anderson who has argued that the early industrial family actually helped to form the extended family.

Anderson in the 19 th  century, using data from the Preston census found that there was an increase in the size of the family at about this time-23% of households contained family members other than the nuclear family. She explains this by saying that the increase in jobs provided by industrialisation meant that more distant relatives were attracted to the town and came to live with their families already there. Additional members of a household lowered the share of the rent paid by each individual and finally someone stayed at home looking after the children and some worked in factories. (It was normal in factory towns for employers to recruit through kin).

        The extended family faded away by the industrialisation process and the nuclear family became the predominant family form, this is due to the reduced size of the family, women are not having so many babies and the recent growth in lone parent families. The welfare state has taken responsibility for the ill, the aged and the unemployed but the extended family does often still assist in these areas, particularly in times of crisis, e.g. death.

Increased educational opportunities have led to a wider variety of jobs being available, leading to geographical mobility.

The increased desire for home ownership has led to the disruption of settled communities.

        The structure of the family seems remarkably resilient in responding to and shaping economic changes. The evidence suggests that the extended family network still exists and although many families are physically spread over a wide geographical area, communication occurs with the aid of cars and telephones.

The extended family still comes together in times of economic struggle and decline in periods of affluence, and that values percolate down from the higher social classes to the lower ones.        

THE ROLE OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY

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  • Level AS and A Level
  • Subject Sociology

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Extended Family Essays

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Is the Coronavirus Pandemic Bringing Your Extended Family Closer Together?

Are you FaceTiming with grandparents, Zooming with cousins or doing virtual family check-ins more often than usual?

extended family email essay

By Nicole Daniels

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Is your immediate family feeling anxious about the well-being and health of your grandparents, older relatives or extended family? Or vice versa: Is your extended family worried about you?

Are you concerned about relatives or neighbors feeling isolated, especially older people who might live alone or not be in the best health? And, with schools closed and activities canceled, are you feeling lonely or bored with extra time on your hands?

Has your family done anything to address some of these feelings? Have you been doing virtual check-ins or regular phone calls to make everyone feel more connected and less isolated? If not, would you want to?

In the Opinion essay “ Introducing the ‘Grandparents’ Academy ’,” Jake Halpern writes about how “in this time of fear and uncertainty,” bringing generations together can be “a way to tap the wisdom and knowledge of our elders and keep our children from losing their minds.”

Law and order is on the verge of breaking down — within the confines of my own house. My two kids, 11 and 13, aren’t just cooped up; they’re in full revolt. They have some homework assignments to do but no regular online classes to engage them. So my wife and I are taking shifts, almost like prison guards, imposing TV shutdowns and mandatory yard time. Our parents — the kids’ grandparents — are also bottled up. My mom and stepdad are holed up in the Berkshires, on a lonely mountain. They barely ever see another person. The isolation is taking a toll, but it’s more than that. I think, on some level, they feel rather expendable. And who could blame them? The young keep telling one another: Things are OK; only the old people will die . So my wife came up with an idea: Why don’t we connect these two generations? Her notion was to conscript the grandparents as teachers. We pooled a bunch of kids from our neighborhood and their grandparents and formed an online school. We called it Grandparents’ Academy. Had a nice ring to it. Yes, even in the face of the apocalypse, branding matters. Setting the whole thing up was surprisingly simple. We did it in less than 24 hours. We created a Google calendar and asked the grandparents to pick time slots for weekly and bi-weekly classes. They could teach, well … anything they wanted. In no time, we had a schedule. The grandparents offered classes on the Bill of Rights, game theory, number patterns, presidential history, anthropology, law and conversational Polish. Some were bona fide experts and others were just folks who’d read a lot of books. There was no screening of candidates. No syllabuses. No reading lists. Just: Can you start tomorrow?

Students, read the entire Opinion piece , then tell us:

What do you think about the Grandparents’ Academy? Would you be interested in being part of your own family’s version — whether it be a grandma’s academy or a great-uncle’s seminar? Why?

What do you think your grandparents could teach you? And if you don’t have living grandparents, then what about your aunts and uncles?

Mr. Halpern writes about his own skepticism before the academy got started:

I had my doubts. We all know that moment when a grandparent offers some unsolicited advice — “Well, in my day …” — and almost instantly the kids’ eyes glaze over. When the first class started, on the Bill of Rights, I was kind of holding my breath.

Have you ever had the experience of a grandparent or older person telling you a story that immediately made you check out? What about the opposite experience? What are some moments when you have learned something valuable, interesting or funny from your elders?

Mr. Halpern writes that some older people are feeling “expendable” as young people reassure themselves by saying, “ Things are OK; only the old people will die .” What do you think? Have you heard young people talk about the pandemic in this way? Why do you think young people feel comforted by that thought? Do you think there is a different way to view how the pandemic affects people of different ages and abilities?

A recent Times headline asks: “ Is Coronavirus Widening Generational Divides, or Bridging Them? ” What is your answer? Do you see examples of young people reaching out to support older people who might be isolated or vulnerable?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Nicole Daniels joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2019 after working in museum education, curriculum writing and bilingual education. More about Nicole Daniels

The Role of Extended Family in Child Development: Strengthening Bonds

The Role of Extended Family in Child Development: Strengthening Bonds 🌟

As a family and parenting expert, I am excited to discuss the vital role that extended family plays in the development of children. In today’s fast-paced world, we sometimes forget the importance of fostering strong connections with our extended family members. However, research consistently proves that these relationships can significantly impact a child’s growth and well-being. Let’s explore how extended family can positively influence a child’s life and strengthen the bonds within the family unit!

Emotional support and love ❤️ Extended family members provide an additional layer of emotional support and love for children. Whether it’s a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin, these individuals often serve as pillars of strength during challenging times. For example, a child who is navigating through a difficult school situation may find solace in the advice and comfort provided by a supportive aunt or uncle.

Role models and mentors 🌟 Extended family members can serve as valuable role models and mentors for children. They bring diverse perspectives and life experiences, offering a broader understanding of the world. For instance, a talented musician cousin can inspire a child to pursue their passion for music, guiding them along their creative journey.

Cultural and heritage preservation 🌍 By maintaining a close relationship with extended family, children are exposed to their cultural heritage. This exposure helps them develop a sense of identity and belonging. Celebrating cultural traditions, preparing traditional dishes together, or sharing stories of family history create lasting memories and strengthen the child’s connection to their roots.

Support in times of crisis 🤗 During times of crisis or unforeseen circumstances, extended family members can be a tremendous source of support for both parents and children. Whether it’s providing temporary housing during a natural disaster or offering emotional comfort during a family tragedy, the extended family’s presence can make a world of difference in helping children navigate difficult situations.

Shared values and traditions 🌸 Being surrounded by extended family allows children to witness and adopt the values and traditions that are deeply rooted in their family history. These shared values provide a sense of continuity and help children develop a strong moral compass. From family game nights to holiday rituals, these shared experiences create a sense of unity and reinforce the family’s identity.

Extra set of eyes 👀 With extended family members involved, parents have an extra set of eyes to ensure the safety and well-being of their children. This additional layer of supervision creates a supportive network that promotes a child’s overall safety, whether it’s at home, school, or social events.

Support with child-rearing techniques 🤗 Extended family members bring a wealth of experience when it comes to child-rearing techniques. They can share valuable tips, tricks, and advice that have been tried and tested over generations. For example, a grandparent may offer wisdom on effective discipline strategies or share insights on creating a nurturing and loving environment.

Learning through intergenerational relationships 👵👶 Intergenerational relationships with extended family members offer a unique learning opportunity for children. They can learn from the wisdom of older family members while also teaching them about the latest trends, technology, and cultural shifts. These interactions promote mutual understanding, respect, and bridge the generation gap.

Expanded support system 🤝 By maintaining close ties with extended family, children benefit from a larger support system. In times of celebration or achievement, there are more individuals to cheer them on and share the joy. Likewise, during challenging times, they have a broader network to lean on for emotional support, advice, and guidance.

Strengthening family bonds 🤗💕 When children grow up surrounded by a strong extended family, it strengthens the bonds within the entire family unit. Regular gatherings, family reunions, and shared experiences create a sense of belonging and unity. These bonds foster resilience, promote positive communication, and build lifelong connections.

Filling the void of absent parents 👪 In situations where parents may be absent due to work, travel, or other commitments, extended family members can step in and provide the love and care that a child needs. This support helps mitigate any feelings of abandonment and ensures that the child’s emotional needs are met.

Developing social skills and empathy 🤝🌈 Interacting with extended family members exposes children to a diverse range of personalities, ages, and backgrounds. This exposure cultivates important social skills such as empathy, patience, and understanding. For instance, a child may learn to interact with a differently-abled cousin, promoting inclusivity and acceptance.

Encouraging a sense of responsibility 🙌 Extended family members can play a crucial role in teaching children the value of responsibility. By assigning age-appropriate tasks or involving them in family projects, children learn the importance of contributing to the family unit. From setting the table to helping with gardening, these responsibilities foster independence and a sense of pride.

Creating lasting memories 🎉 The memories created with extended family members are often cherished for a lifetime. From epic family vacations to simple Sunday brunches, these shared experiences create lasting bonds and stories that are passed down through generations. These memories become the foundation of a child’s sense of belonging and identity.

Sustaining traditions and customs 🎊 Extended family members play a crucial role in sustaining traditions and customs within a family. From passing down heirlooms to organizing annual family reunions, these practices help preserve the family’s history and strengthen the child’s connection to their roots. They provide a sense of continuity and help children understand their place in the broader family narrative.

In conclusion, the extended family’s role in child development is indeed invaluable. From emotional support and love to providing guidance and preserving cultural heritage, extended family members contribute significantly to a child’s growth and well-being. So, let’s cherish and nurture these bonds, as they are the foundation of a strong and resilient family unit.

What are your thoughts on the role of extended family in child development? Have you experienced the positive impact of extended family in your own life? Share your opinions and stories below! 😊👇

Melkisedeck Leon Shine

Editor: Melkisedeck Leon Shine. About Me | Contact Me | LinkedIn | TikTok | WhatsApp

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Extended Essay

Extended Essay Examples

Cathy A.

26 Best Extended Essay Examples for Inspiration

Published on: May 3, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

Extended essay examples

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A Step-by-Step Guide For Writing an Extended Essay

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Get Inspired: 110 Unique Extended Essay Topics and Ideas

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Are you struggling to choose a topic or develop a research question for your Extended Essay? Or are you looking for examples to help guide your writing process? 

Look no further! 

In this blog, we will provide you with a variety of extended essay examples across different subject areas. By examining these examples, you can gain a better understanding of what a well-written extended essay looks like. 

So, without further ado, let's start the blog!

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What is an Extended Essay?

An extended essay is a research paper that students write as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program . This type of essay aims to allow students to dig deeply into a topic, and develop their writing skills.

The Extended Essay must be between 3,500 and 4,000 words. It is typically written in one of the six subject areas: 

  • Language and Literature
  • Language Acquisition
  • Individuals and Societies
  • Mathematics

Want to learn more about Extended essay writing? Check out his video!

Let's explore extended essay examples categorized by subject to better understand various topics and research questions within each discipline.

IB Extended Essay Examples

Here are some IB Extended Essay Examples:

IB Extended Essay Example Biology

IB Extended Essay Example World Religions

English Extended Essay Examples

English Extended Essay Example 1

English Extended Essay Example 2

History Extended Essay Examples

History Extended Essay Example 1

History Extended Essay Example 2

Psychology Extended Essay Examples

Psychology Extended Essay Example 1

Psychology Extended Essay Example 2

Economics Extended Essay Examples 

Economics Extended Essay Example 1

Economics Extended Essay Example 2

Physics Extended Essay Examples -H3

Physics Extended Essay Example 1

Physics Extended Essay Example 2

Math Extended Essay Examples -H3

Math Extended Essay Example 1

Math Extended Essay Example 2

Business Extended Essay Examples -H3

Business Extended Essay Example 1

Business Extended Essay Example 2

Chemistry Extended Essay Examples

Chemistry Extended Essay Example 1

Chemistry Extended Essay Example 2

Global Politics Extended Essay Examples

Global Politics Extended Essay Example 1

Global Politics Extended Essay Example 2

Music Extended Essay Examples

Music Extended Essay Example 1

Music Extended Essay Example 2

Visual Arts Extended Essay Examples

Visual Arts Extended Essay Example 1

Visual Arts Extended Essay Example 2

World Studies Extended Essay Examples -H3

World Studies Extended Essay Example 1

World Studies Extended Essay Example 2

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Tips for Writing Extended Essays

Here are some tips for writing extended essays:

  • Choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your strengths.
  • Create a research question that is specific, manageable, and has enough depth to explore in detail.
  • Develop a clear outline and structure for your essay, including an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
  • Use a variety of sources, including academic journals, books, and primary sources, to support your arguments.
  • Maintain a critical and analytical approach throughout your essay, examining various perspectives and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of different arguments.
  • Avoid plagiarism by citing your sources correctly and using your own words to explain your ideas.
  • Revise and edit your essay thoroughly, ensuring that it is coherent, logical, and well-written.
  • Seek feedback from your supervisor or teacher, as well as peers or family members, to improve your essay further.

In conclusion, extended essay writing is an essential part of academic life, and it requires a lot of dedication and practice. However, with the right guidance and inspiration, anyone can excel in writing a compelling extended essay. 

The examples we have explored in this blog have provided valuable insights into the process. We hope they have inspired you to start your own journey toward excellence.

But if you need any additional assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to CollegeEssay.org. Our extended essay writing service consists of professional writers who are always ready to help you with your writing assignments.

We provide the best essay writing service to meet your specific needs and requirements.

So, get in touch with us today, and let our essay writer help you achieve your academic goals!

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extended family email essay

Essays on Extended family

We found 9 free papers on extended family, essay examples, arranged marriages.

Extended family

Draft an Introduction (4 Marks) Directions: Attach a rough draft of your introduction with your stage 3. It can be typed formally or written as an outline of the main points you will introduce. Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are selected by a third party rather than…

The magic of family meal

Extended family, also known as a “Big family,” is a traditional family structure where multiple generations live together. This arrangement allows for the sharing of activities like meals, housework, child care, and celebrations. These shared experiences strengthen familial bonds when there is mutual understanding and forgiveness among family members. However, conflicts can occur due to…

Joint Family vs Nuclear Family

Healthy ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for good health in order for older individuals to actively participate in society and maintain a high quality of life. According to Healthy Ageing: A Challenge for Europe, ageing does not have to be seen as a burden or decrease one’s ability to contribute to society. In…

Japans Next Generation

A. Post World War II changes in traditional structureThe family is the most important element in Japanese society. Traditionally Japan had large, extended families, with three or four generations living together. Today, although grandparents sometimes live with the family, most people live in small nuclear homes consisting of the parents and one or two children….

What Is the Family

What Is a Family? Stephannie Jennings Marriage and Family Professor Dawn McNeal April 8,2013 What Is a Family? The Definition of Family What is a family? According to information that I read in the course textbook entitled Public and Private Families, it states that the growing diversity of families and the widespread ambivalence about them…

Functionalist View on Family

The functionalist perspective examines and evaluates the role of the family in society. This perspective has a broader sociological approach and specifically highlights the importance of the nuclear family (a married couple and their children), the universal nature of families, changes in family roles over time, and how nuclear families fit into modern society. Parsons…

Family and kinship in India

India offers astounding variety in virtually every aspect of social life. Diversities of ethnic, linguistic, regional, economic, religious, class, and caste groups crosscut Indian society, which is also permeated with immense urban-rural differences and gender distinctions. Differences between north India and south India are particularly significant, especially in systems of kinship and marriage. Indian society…

Which Is A Critical Component Of Effective Interpersonal Communication

Communication

While he is away, he asks Loretta to try to patch things up between Johnny and his brother, bakery operator, Irony Camaraderie. Having never forgiven Johnny for indirectly causing the accident that crippled him, that caused him to lose his girl to another man, Irony soars into a rage whenever his brother’s name is mentioned,…

Saving the Environment and Generation Gap

Environment

HOW CAN WE SAVE THE EARTH ? This is our earth, the only place we have to live on for now and in the future. World Environment day, established by the UNO in 1972, is celebrated on June 5. it has been established for all the countries of the world to create awareness among their…

Frequently Asked Questions about Extended family

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COMMENTS

  1. Extended Family System

    Extended Family System Essay. Family is considered as the basic unit of the society; better family relations can mold better citizens, and therefore the construction of a family structure that will contribute to both individual and communal well-being is an essential prerequisite of a harmonious community. As Vicky Agarwal states, "A family ...

  2. About my family

    Let me tell you about my family. I live with my mum, my dad and my big sister. We live in California. My mum's name is Carmen. She's Mexican and she speaks English and Spanish. She's a Spanish teacher. She's short and slim, she's got long, brown hair and brown eyes. My dad's name is David. He's American.

  3. What are Extended Families?

    An extended family unit can be comprised of different sets of relatives, non-blood relations, adopted children, or even a friend close enough to be considered family. Extended families can either be in the same household or geographically dispersed. It always helps to delineate between them and make it clear what is being referred to.

  4. Essay about Family: Definition, Topics & Sample

    Here are some easy-to-follow tips from our essay service experts:. Focus on a Specific Aspect: Instead of a broad overview, delve into a specific angle that piques your interest, such as exploring how birth order influences sibling dynamics or examining the evolving role of grandparents in modern families. Share Personal Anecdotes: Start your family essay introduction with a personal touch by ...

  5. How to Write the Community Essay + Examples 2023-24

    UW's community essay prompt may look the most approachable, for they help define the idea of community. You'll notice that most of their examples ("families," "cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood"…) place an emphasis on people. This may clue you in on their desire to see the relationships you've made.

  6. Definition of Extended Families: Meanings and Roles

    A definition of extended families is simply a family unit that extends past the nuclear family to include other relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents. There is more to an extended family, however, than just a list of relatives, and understanding the structure of an extended family and why it can be a valuable type of family unit can ...

  7. Extended Family Essay

    Extended Family Essay. Family a group consisting of one or two parents and their children: extended family noun 1. A family group that consists of parents, children, and other close relatives, generally, it's A group of relatives, such as those of three generations often living in close geographic proximity rather than under the same roof.

  8. THE ROLE OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY

    The extended family is defined as a grouping broader than the nuclear family which is related by descent, marriage or adoption. It existed as a structure of collective responsibility for its members even if they did not all live together in the same household. One of Young and Wilmot's work showed that the extended family survived well into ...

  9. Extended Family Essay Examples

    Stuck on your essay? Browse essays about Extended Family and find inspiration. Learn by example and become a better writer with Kibin's suite of essay help services.

  10. Extended Family

    Emotional Development, Effects of Parenting and Family Structure on. Suzanne Bester, Marlize Malan-Van Rooyen, in International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition), 2015. Extended Family - Kinship Care. Extended families consist of several generations of people and can include biological parents and their children as well as in-laws, grandparents, aunts, uncles ...

  11. Why extended family is a crucial part of child development

    When face-to-face gatherings are not possible, email, social media, and VOIP-in various flavors-provide opportunities to share joys, triumphs, disappointments, sorrows, and even plain, ordinary day-to-day living. ... "Parents & Family: Extended Family." Introduction to the Roles of Extended Family (n.d.): n. pag.Parenting and Child ...

  12. Extended Definition of Family: [Essay Example], 494 words

    Extended Definition of Family. Family is an integral part of human experience and plays a crucial role in shaping individuals' lives. Whether through love, support, or shared experiences, the concept of family extends beyond traditional definitions. This essay aims to explore the evolving definition of family, the emotional bonds and ...

  13. Extended Family Essay Examples

    Individuals brought up by their grandparents differ significantly from those brought up by their parents. It is essentialalso to admit that there are exceptions in both groups. Many of these differences can be explained regarding reasons for grandparental caregiving, cultural influences, and unique family dynamics associated with each region ...

  14. My Family : An Extended Family

    An extended family is are families that consist of one or more parents, children or a family that has more than one generation living in the household. Growing up and still to this day we always have family members living in our home. At times my grandparents due to their health issues and other times my cousins until they could get back onto ...

  15. Extended Family Definition, Advantages & Examples

    The extended family definition differs from that of a nuclear family in that the latter is composed solely of parents and their children. The extended family meaning, in contrast, is just what its ...

  16. Is the Coronavirus Pandemic Bringing Your Extended Family Closer

    In the Opinion essay " Introducing the 'Grandparents' Academy '," Jake Halpern writes about how "in this time of fear and uncertainty," bringing generations together can be "a way ...

  17. Life Experience of Children Living with Extended Family

    According to Roberts (2010), families with many members in the house make an inconsistent return with about 25% in the 40's, however decreases to 12% in the 80's but then shows increasing of 16% in the 90's. The main reason of why extended families still exists these days is compassion at heart. When elderly relative tentatively become ...

  18. Essay About Extended Family

    Essay About Extended Family. 897 Words4 Pages. Review of Related Literature The image and perception of a family have become subjective, it has become something that is dependent on the culture one has been accustomed to. It can vary from a nuclear arrangement between a mother and father raising a child, to a more complex extended family where ...

  19. Essay On My Extended Family

    Essay On My Extended Family. I have a very large extended family as I am the youngest of six children. My father also came from a family with five children and my mother came from a family with 8 children. Most of my extended family is in New Mexico. We are in general closer to my mother's side of the family.

  20. The Role of Extended Family in Child Development: Strengthening Bonds

    In conclusion, the extended family's role in child development is indeed invaluable. From emotional support and love to providing guidance and preserving cultural heritage, extended family members contribute significantly to a child's growth and well-being. So, let's cherish and nurture these bonds, as they are the foundation of a strong ...

  21. 26 Excellent Extended Essay Examples You Need to See!

    An extended essay is a research paper that students write as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This type of essay aims to allow students to dig deeply into a topic, and develop their writing skills. The Extended Essay must be between 3,500 and 4,000 words. It is typically written in one of the six subject areas:

  22. Essays on Extended family

    Extended family. Family. Words: 187 (1 page) Extended family, also known as a "Big family," is a traditional family structure where multiple generations live together. This arrangement allows for the sharing of activities like meals, housework, child care, and celebrations. These shared experiences strengthen familial bonds when there is ...

  23. Kennedy family brushes off RFK Jr.'s campaign as they endorse Biden

    The broader Kennedy family has mostly shunned RFK Jr.'s campaign, calling it "dangerous," even as the candidate himself looks to capitalize on his last name and family history.