Do you think staying with extended family is good?

Hi again!!!! The life of human beings are governed by the circumstances in which they are grown up. This effects the choice of people in what they want, and what make them comfortable. About my family, I live in extended family. I have my grandfather and grandmother, two uncles, one married and one child. My father is the eldest one and we are two brothers. All together we are 10 in a family. People in Nepal are very much attached to the relations. There are lots of festivals in Nepal in a year, so that in each festival, even the relatives staying away from home are invited and is a opportunity to get the update of each other. This is the way the life has been working on in Nepal... It's not that there are no misunderstandings living in the joint family. But still there is love for each other that binds all the members in the family. I know one day we got to separate with uncles one day. Its the way of life here in Nepal... Living in joint family is fun if everyone is cooperative. There are lot of people and more security. The grandparents are more happy with the children. After all the grand childs are the main source of happiness for grand parents. So my uncles, little daughter brings lots of smile in my grandparents.... More to be written later on...Happy mylotting...

I actually admire having such cultures where families and extended families stick together, live in a big old house or live in a particular neighborhood. There are so many advantages to such set-ups especially when the members would like to reiterate the values of knowing and respecting your roots and family traditions and valuing the importance of family. I would have loved to grow in such a neighborhood where I would get to know my grandparents more and get to really be so close to them. Unfortunately, I didn't get that chance. My family and I live on a different province from where our close relatives and cousins are. I didn't really get to know my grandparents that much and sometimes, I only relied on what my parents told me about them. On the other side, I enjoy the company of family. My family gives me the feeling of being safe and at peace with whatever might be troubling me. It was a good thing that my brother and I were raised to love the family we grew up with. We were taught how to value each and everyone of us and that's a good thing. As of now, I am living away from my family. I live with a few friends who are also working in the same city I live in now. I miss my family so much.

My parents stay with us in the same house. They're both past their retirement age. Actually, we're happy to have them stay with us. They help take care of my young son, teaching him a great deal of values, telling him stories of the good old days, even helping him out with his homework. At the same time, I can also watch over my parents. They're getting old and I'm not comfortable with the idea of the two of them staying alone in their house.

Psychologically, I think, still live with large families in one house is not something that becomes a problem. By continuing to gather with other family members, certainly would make sense of kinship is stronger

I live in a neutral family. But when i go and meet relatives then i'll be very much happy and stay some days with them but later i miss my home. I think that living far apart from relatives and meeting once in a while helps to keep love between relationships but if they are together with all of them then tere are much of quarrels than love. So i suggest saying in neutral family is better and meeting them once in a while is good

I prefer not to live w/ my extended family. This situation actually has its advantages as well as disadvantages. Advantage for me is that when you need extra help, may it be from as little as change, or as big as help for emergencies you will have someone to call. They will always be present to help you no matter what. But disadvantage is that, somehow you will lean on them. You will not learn to be independent. My husband and I made it a point that we shall live far from our families because we wanted to take control of our life, sometimes families can be really imposing. And they sometimes do not know where to stand between a husband and wife fight.

My extended family was all in one state, most of us within 30 miles of each other, when I was a child. There was always someone to play with, visit with, borrow from, share with, help out or help. I think it's good for families to be close. My sons were raised 1800 miles from any extended family and it shows. They are not close to my family or their father's, not like I was. Thus, they don't really care what the family thinks of them. Caring what my family thought of me saved me from getting into a lot of trouble when I was young! I think families should be together. Maybe not all in the same house but being within 30 miles of each other is great.

I am living in an extended family but if i have a choice i prefer not to. there's not really a problem with it, but sometimes, its difficult to find some quiet time specially if there are kids.

Yes, despite the restriction of privacy, adjustments to be made and personal freedom. I am from such a family, but get to do whatever I want to do because I have devised ways to do them. A little bit of deception, you know! The comfort of a back up in case of an emergency is very reassuring.

It is good to a certain extent like you can always have someone look after your kids when you go to work. It usually is fun when you gather for a family celebration. But there are also downsides to it. It can’t be avoided that jealousy and conflict will arise among family members. You can’t decide for your own family. There are family members who would try to meddle to your own personal affairs. Fortunately, my husband and I didn’t have to live with our extended families when we got married. We lived on our own. I remember my brother in law said when asked why they want to live on their own, he said “I want to be the King of my own home”.

It is a always a good feeling to be staying close to where our extended family are. They tend to be our support during our "low" times. However, if we will all be staying in the same house, it will be awkward. Even if the house is so large and comfortable to accommodate all, it's still as if there's no real privacy at all to your own family.

In my own point of view it is good to stay with your extended family because you can easily ask for help when you are in need. However, I believe that it is best that a person would be living away from his relatives so that he will be able to grow as a person. In other words, one will be able to stand in one's feet without the help of one's relatives. Furthermore, familial misunderstandings will be prevented if one will stay away from one's extended family.

I'm sort of glad in a way that all my extended family live at least a few hundred miles a away and in many cases on the other side of the world. My reasoning for this is simple. We don't get tangled in the net of family politics which seems to be particularly nasty amongst all of my extended family. Having said that when I was younger I always wished they lived close. i think it would have been much nicer to know them growing up and would made my childhood even more fun. They all celebrate Christmas together in Australia and Scotland and South Africa whilst we have to spend Christmas with friends which is fun but not quite the same as having at least an occasional family Christmas.

really this could be a nice idea in some aspects - say u get to be advised by not only your parents but the entire family as a whole which gives you a wide knowledge of the technical know how of how to do things and in other ways.... there would be jealusy and etc but this really depends on which family though...

I won't call it bad but I would prefer to not living with my parents or grandparents. We have a saying in my country is it is fine to meet each other or gather together but it is rather difficult to live together. It would be perfectly fine that they live next door or close but not so much living together.

Personally, I am generally a private person, and do not like large crowds,plus I love my space. I would have a hard time to staying in the same house with many people, rather they are family or not. It does not mean that I don't love my family any less, it is just a personal preference. I have many family gatherings out of town where everyone was staying in the same house, but my husband and I always ended up getting a motel room close by.

In my country, extended families living together is common because our culture values close family ties. However, personally, I wouldn't want to live with my extended family. I was born and raised in just my immediately family home, so I'm not used to sharing a house with a lot of people. I know that having large family may be happier especially during special occasions, but I'm afraid of losing my privacy and my personal space in such an arrangement. I also think that conflicts may arise in an extended family home because it will be difficult to identify and to have consensus with regards to who has the final say or who has to make the final decision.

this differs a lot