Family life
Australian families have changed significantly over the last thirty years but they remain the basic unit in society for caring for each other and raising children, according to data released by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. (CommonwealthofAustralia, 2013) A majority of the Australian families are nuclear. A nuclear family is defined as in modern society, a husband and wife who live with their children and place more importance on their marital relationship than the relationships with their own parents. The modern Aussie keeps the old fashioned family values of honesty, hospitality and modesty. Elderly people live in their own homes and the family visits the grandparents on the weekend. From an early age, children are taught to be independent and self-sufficient. Many Australians live an urban lifestyle. From Monday to Friday, the family wakes up at 7am, they all eat breakfast together as a family. After breakfast is done, the family goes their own ways to get ready for the day. At 630pm, the family comes together again and eats dinner as a family unit. The children are responsible for helping set up and clean up the dishes for dinner. After dinner, the children complete any homework they may have and the parents will read a book or watch TV and relax. The average Australian is in bed by 10pm during the work week. On the weekend, the family does activities together which strengthen the bonds and connections with each other. By 1980 young people were remaining longer in education and women were embracing post-secondary education and entering the workforce. With the wider availability of the contraceptive pill in the 1970s and greater education and employment