What Are the Advantages of Having an Extended Family?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

One of the advantages of having an extended family is the stability and consistency that it can bring to the life of the children. The close-knit relationship it offers to children can contribute positively to their emotional development. An extended family is also the closest form of society children have. Having more people in the house often helps small children learn how to act and behave in various situations.

An extended family consists of two or more families living together in the same household. When practiced at its greatest potential, it offers stability and success to all family members. The involvement of grandparents and other extended family members in nurturing and raising children can also offer support to the parents. Other adult members of the extended family can offer childcare assistance as well, reducing the cost of childcare services.

Many extended families are financially stable because they can pool their income for expenses and consumption. According to CNN, many young adults returned home and lived with their parents at the prevalence of the economic crisis in 2014. Likewise, older Americans began moving in with their children. Living together in the same household can help save money and other resources. It is extremely beneficial when multiple members of the family are wage earners, as it lessen financial hardship and can provide access to subsidies, such as housing and health care.