To what extend does the change in the Bahamian family structure lead to the many social problems in our society today?

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5) To what extend does the change in the Bahamian family structure lead to the many social problems in our society today?

        As afore mentioned, a family is a biologically related group which may consist of a husband and wife with children. It can also be a group of people not related but living under the same roof.

        It seems that over the years there has been a change in the family structure of the Bahamas. If you lived about 50 years back chances are you would have lived in an extended family. Today however, chances are you are living in common law family. The change of the family structure in the Bahamas occurred between the 18th - 21st centuries. Between the 18th – 19th centuries there were two main types of families, the Nuclear family and the Extended family.

        In the earlier days, “ We were taught to say ‘ yes mam/sir’ and ‘no mam/sir’. When we didn’t and our parents found out we were given a good scolding and then beating.” remembers an interviewee.  Now however it is becoming increasing popular among the ‘ young people’ to ‘ walk on by like we older folks don’t exist’. Children were taught to be seen and not heard in those days. They were to stay quiet in the presence of grown- ups, no matter how much they wanted to join in the conversation. Again we see the difference in today’s young people. For, now if they think they have a valuable conversation they do, whether they are asked to or not. The girls of the past were given a curfew, which they were expected to keep. If they were out after dark, you can be sure that they were given a good whipping. Now however, young girls can be seen in the streets at five and four o’clock in the morning.

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        Children were taught not to complain about not having everything they wanted. They were expected to respect each other and their property. They did not move anything that did not belong to them without asking. The children had to work to earn whatever it was they really wanted if their parents did not have the money to get it for them. According to Mr. Bethel, the children were taught to stay in their books and allowed time to play only after they were done studying. They were given chores so that they had something to keep them busy.

        Religion was ...

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