Asha’s friend, Meena, drops by unannounced — a norm, not a breach of etiquette. They sit on the chataai (mat), shelling peas and dissecting family news. “Your Priya works too hard,” Meena says. “My daughter-in-law sleeps till 9.”
| Type | Characteristics | Prevalence | |------|----------------|-------------| | | Grandparents, parents, children, uncles, aunts, cousins living under one roof or in close proximity. Shared finances and kitchen (often). | Declining but still common in rural and semi-urban areas (~25-30%) | | Nuclear Family | Parents and unmarried children. Increased in cities due to jobs and housing costs. | ~60%+ of urban households | | Extended / Live-nearby | Nuclear families living in the same apartment complex or neighborhood, maintaining daily contact. | Rapidly growing | Asha’s friend, Meena, drops by unannounced — a
“My husband and I work in IT. Our two kids go to a ‘smart’ school. We have a live-in nanny. Morning is a race. We eat dinner at 9 PM, order in twice a week. We miss having grandparents nearby, but we video-call them daily. Our real family support is our neighbors from Kerala and Punjab—we exchange food and childcare.” “My daughter-in-law sleeps till 9