The family unit as we know it today is very diverse. Although there can be many types of family structures, they all have one thing in common: the bonds that unite the people within them. We could begin to describe the family as the primary social institution. The family system meets both the personal needs of individuals and the basic needs of society. In the family, the husband and wife help to procreate, protect, and care for the young while family members look to this structure for peace, security, and guidance. These needs are met by the functions a family performs for society. The four main functions that a family performs are reproduction, protection and care of the young, and socialization. The first function that a family structure fulfills is the biological function (the need to reproduce). “We must reproduce our species; otherwise our species will disappear.” This function depends on the husband and wife of the family, although this action can be carried out outside the family, it is not socially accepted. Although this function is essential, over the past 20 years the number of families without children or with fewer children has increased. This is possible thanks to contraceptive techniques. These effective methods of contraception have allowed women to delay childbirth in order to pursue professional training and achieve their career goals. Next comes the function of protection and care of the children of the family. Parents must ensure that their children are cared for, protected and safe, both mentally and physically, so that they can become valuable citizens in society. Finally, the socializing function. This function instills the values, morals and beliefs of the society. It is within the family structure that the child first learns ... middle of paper ... More and more people are choosing not to marry, but instead choosing to live together without being married . Those who chose to marry mostly end up in divorce, leaving a higher rate of single people caring for children and partners choosing to coexist. One of the reasons this practice is increasing is the desire to avoid legal complications when separating. The inevitable change in the family has forced society to reorganize the way we view family structure. Regardless of the structure or variety of the relationship, one thing is important to everyone: the children in the family. It is the reality today that women and men value higher education, choose to have children later in life (if at all), and seek self-satisfaction through focus on leisure, personal freedom and job satisfaction. Today's struggle is the balance between personal development and