Family is considered the most basic and regarded as the oldest social institution. Conservatively seen, a family is consisted of the parents and their scions. Sociologists are making observations regarding the present realities that are besieging the institution of the family, and some are predicting that in the current generations the “form” of the family that we knew now will just be “one of its two, three or many forms.”

What could effect this anticipated change?

In times of economic hardship, both parents need to work for the bread and butter of the family. Now, while the economic side of the family living is well taken care of, there is another issue that crops up. For men and women in all professions, there is an issue on the integration of personal and professional aspects of life. This is especially true for those who are in training or early career, a time that usually overlaps with the childbearing and child-rearing years. They normally are absent in the most crucial years in the life of their children insofar as human formation is concerned.

While in the past generations marriage is understood to be responsible for the mathematical equation: 1+1= more than 2, today there are couples who would simply want to be together and whose plans for their future do not include any provision concerning having a baby or a child.

There are diverse factors to explain this development, but this pattern of marriage arrangement is becoming quite more obvious in many cultures across the globe.

1. Staying Single

What could have motivated men and women to stay single? For one, it has actually been recognized long time ago. The Catholic Church even has a name for it – single blessedness.

But, now, definitely there is a growing number of men and women who are opting out of married life for reasons that are not religious.

2. Single Parenthood

Also termed lone parent or sole parent, a single parent is a parent who cares for one or more children without the assistance of another parent in the home. Single parenthood may occur for a variety of reasons. It could be opted for by the parent – as in the case of either as choice mother or a choice father– (as in divorce, adoption, artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood, or extramarital pregnancy), or be the result of an unforeseeable occurrence (e.g., death or abandonment by one parent).

For some, single parenthood is just a stage of life rather than a lifelong family form. Many re-partner and form a step family.

Single parent families are at a higher risk of poverty than couple families, as single parenting is likewise associated with an increased risk of a number of negative social, behavioral and emotional outcomes for children.

3. Family Violence

Psychology and sociology would attest that for a growing child the happiest and most tranquil family situation is the intact primary marriage. Serious parental conflict has bad effects. Studies actually were able to draw the vivid link between the experience of the children of parental violence and juvenile delinquency. This is said to be because of the ensuing lack of emotional attachment of the children to or with their “warring” parents. In fact, it is being observed that the incidence of delinquent behavior is higher in intact homes characterized by a high degree of conflict and neglect than it is in broken homes without conflict.

The lesson here is clear: conflict between parents hurts the children. And in sharp contrast, tranquility and peace in the family and in the marriage help prevent delinquency.

4. Open Marriages

These are marriage in which the partners agree that each may engage in extramarital sexual relationships without being regarded as infidelity. Despite the presupposed agreement, however, jealousy is still a major issue in this set up – similar to the issue of social non-acceptance of open marriages.

Some quarters would make a very strict delineation between polyamorous relationships and swinging relationships.

5. Step Families

Step families are families where at least one of the married parents is not the biological parent of all the children. Expectedly, because the main issue that is at stake in this family set up is “territoriality” – that is, there is often “his,” “hers” and “theirs” present – this kind of family is seldom at peace. Conflict is said to result from one set of children having a bad influence on the others, the type of punishment invoked, and/or one particular child receiving too much attention.

6. Cohabitation or Living Together / Living-In

Men and women who want to be in an emotionally and/or physically-intimate relationship outside of the sphere of married life are living in. This is done for a good number of reasons: testing their compatibility, establishing financial security before the actual marriage, etc.

7. Communes

These are communities in which resources are shared. In some communes around the world, the concept of family is overextended to include all the members of the community. Naturally, in these communities, exclusivity becomes alien to married and family life.

8. Domestic Partnership

It is a legal or personal (homosexual) relationship between two individuals living together and sharing a common domestic life. In New Zealand, Oregon and California, domestic partnership is almost taken to mean marriage, or to other legally recognized same-sex or different-sex unions.