ABSTRACT
The family is one of the most important institutions in society and one of the most important topics in sociology. The family is what sociologists call a primary group , as it is among the groups that are most closely involved in the process of socialization of children to the adult world. We all live in families-whether by birth or by choice, or bothand our family lives are critical determinants of who we are, how we live, how we respond to situations in everyday life, and what our life chances (e.g., careers, health, and incomes) will turn out to be (Williams 1998). Families have cultures of their own, and increasingly borrow from the various cultures available in our contemporary social life to manage their everyday life affairs.
