The following reasons can be offered to indicate the importance of family life education in today’s world :

1. Starting early prevents breakdowns:

Couples who are aware of principles of the family dynamics, problems solving methods and support and skill resources become more aware and more capable of handling the challenges of family life. Proactive couples tend to avoid relationship-threatening crises and enjoy the benefits of life together.

2. The pandemic of HIV and AIDS:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

One of the salutary side effects of the otherwise disastrous pandemic of HIV and AIDS is that it helps us to turn our attention once again to the values of mutual love, marital fidelity etc., which are the bedrock of the institution of family. Though AIDS spreads not only through sexual relations, it must be admitted that in a majority of cases, sexual contact is the main source of infection. Marital fidelity has, thus, the added advantage of also preventing a lot of infection. It is to be noted that it is not the HIV and AIDS

pandemic that makes marital fidelity a value. It has been a value which is the basis of the institution called family, and now in the context of HIV and AIDS we get the motivation to reflect on this all important value once again.

3. Benefits of family life education:

researchers have successfully shown the beneficial outcome of training programmes in terms of increased skills and satisfaction for long-time, lowered marital conflict rates, and reduced family violence.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

4. Consequences of marital breakdowns:

whether divorced or living under the same roof and being completely separated from each other emotionally, partners, their children, their relatives experience emotional and financial stress which may have long term effects.

In particular, poverty, continued partner conflict and isolation from old friends and family can limit the horizons of couples in stress and their children. Most people would choose to avoid families where there is no harmony or peace.

5. Benefits of happy family life and adjustment:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Research finds happy families have lower rates of illness, depression and conflict in and outside their marriage. Well adjusted partners make easier transitions to parenting and tend to be more supportive parents and from goods relations with neighbours, friends and others. For most persons, marital satisfaction is the best index of family satisfaction and family satisfaction is the best predictor of well-being.

6. Terms of marriage and family are changing:

At the turn of century, the life-span was shorter; more of marriage revolved around parenting and couples often drew on family and friend and friend networks for support. Today with nuclear families being on the increase in our country, couples are expected to depend on themselves and meet their own needs, with minimal extended family, support, and coordinate adult roles and growth through 50-60 years.

7. Routine life by itself, does not prepare for new family roles:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Couples face more demands and fewer supports, but few persons learn to be mature and equal partners in families. Conflict resolution and problem solving skills are part of many job-training and volunteer groups, yet couple communication remains sorely neglected.

Traditional education prepares a person for 8 hours of his/her working life. A day has 24 hours throughout which a person if functioning as a member of a family in a particular role. What preparation does one receive for this formidable and important role?

8. Expectations of marriages and family life are changing:

When marriage was for economic security and husbands held a more powerful position in a patriarchal society, the rules were simple and straight-forward. Expectations for affection were minimal as were options outside marriage. Today with love, companionship and equality so important, communication and problem solving skills have become even more valuable for happiness.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Society is the name of a group of people who live together. A society is composed of many different types of organisations and institutions and family is one of them. In fact, the family is the primary unit, which constitutes society.

Family, community and society are regarded as special dynamic institutions which interact among themselves. It is the society which decides the quality and types of family.

It depends on the health of the family to create a vibrant and progressive nation and society. Again, family consists of individuals. So, it is necessary to develop health and proper understanding among each individual to make a family vibrant and progressive.

So, the individual is the basic entity in a family. A health society or community is but one large cohesive family. Family is the microcosm of society or community possessing all the culture and civilisation it has acquired.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

This model shows the individual is the cornerstone of the world community. This is because she is the essential constituent of family neighbourhood, community, society, nation and world community. & any change in the individual’s attitudes and behaviour affects all these

above institutions. Simultaneously, any change in the large institutions lie neighbourhoods, community, nation and world community will affect the individual too. So it is pertinent that roles of all these institutions are crucial as far as family life education is concerned.