Topic: Some people suggest that bringing up children by the whole family including uncles, aunts and grandparents is better, rather than only by parents. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Propagators of the joint family system opine that it is preferable for children to be nurtured in a familial environment with parents and their extended family contributing to the child´s development. I disagree with this notion because too much mollycoddling may spoil the child and he/she may not learn how to become independent.

To initiate, joint families involving grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins etc. tend to dote a lot on a new born child. There is always someone around to pick up the infant when he/she cries, feed and play with him/her and so on. Depending upon the family, as the child grows, the extended family may either be too strict or too lenient on the child. The former may result in a grownup who lacks self-confidence while the latter may make the child selfish and stubborn.

Furthermore, the child may get used to having people around to tell him/her what to do and take decisions on his/her behalf. This may result in an adult who is unable to take even the slightest decision on his/her own and it can affect both the professional as well as personal life of the adult. They are often unable to leave their hometown for better prospects or get promoted in their jobs. In short, they dont know how to lead an independent life. For example: the oldest son of most Indian families continues to live with his parents even after he gets a lucrative job. He wont take even the slightest decision without consulting his parents.

To recapitulate, while it does seem to be a secure option to have a child be raised in a joint family, especially when both parents are working, but such a situation certainly has its drawbacks. (286 words).