Needs of a family 

Family needs 

Needs of a family are the factors required for survival and to have quality life. Family needs are the needs of the family members within one family. Needs may be many types, but these all can be categorized into main five groups. As a need of lower stage is fulfilled, there arises a new need of upper stage. American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow has given a hierarchy of needs theory. This theory describes all the needs in five main categories. The hierarchical needs theory given by Maslow can be illustrated as in the figure: 

a) Basic needs 

Needs of human beings which are essential for survival are called basic needs. Basic needs include two categories, safety needs and physiological needs. 

i. Physiological needs 

This category of need includes the needs primarily needed for continuation of physiological process of survival. Food, sex, health, drink, etc. are included in this group of needs. 

ii. Safety needs 

As the name of this category has the term safety, it assists family members in safe survival. Protection, shelter, clothes, are some of the examples of needs in this category. 

B) Additional needs 

It is the second group of needs. It includes those needs which are not primarily needed for survival. Quality of life is increased by fulfillment of additional needs. Maslow has given three sub-groups of additional needs as follows: 

i. Love and belonging needs 

It lies at the base of additional needs. It  includes the need of love and affection (giving and receiving, cordiality, friendship, and similar other needs.

ii. Esteem needs 

It lies in the middle of additional needs in  the hierarchy of Maslow's needs pyramid (This is concerned with giving and receiving value, respect , and regard). Need  for freedom and prestige also falls in this group.

iii. Self actualization needs

It lies at the top of pyramid and is the upper marginal need of human being. There are no other needs to fulfill after fulfilling self-actualization need. Maslow opines that no one can cross the limit of self-actualization needs. Needs to achieve the maximum potentiality and fulfilment of all sorts of needs are kept in this group.

Under the above-mentioned categories of needs, uncountable human needs can be placed according to the life status, circumstances, and surroundings. Let's discuss some needs which surface most commonly in all families. 

a) Income and expenditure

The world has been globalization in various bases. Monetary transaction is one of the bases among them. Human civilization has crossed the era of barter system and we are getting all sorts of necessary things from the market. We purchase goods and services from the market by paying their prices. We must spend our income to purchase goods and services from the market. Income is needed to purchase anything that we desire . But a wise family manages its expenditure according to priority of needs . In a family, there must be sources of income. There are dependent and active members in families. The active members should be capable to generate income by increasing their competence in physical , educational, technological , and mental aspects. 

b) Food

Food is one of the basic needs for all families. It is needed for survival and to tackle various diseases. There must be nutritious foods for all members in families. Especially, children, pregnant and breastfeeding  mothers, infants, and elderly members need special care in food supplement. Nutrients in food items strengthen immune power of human body. Quality of foods in families enhances quality of family life and makes the family happy.

c) Clothing

Clothes are required for protection. Clothing protects us from uneven weather. Maslow has placed this need under the basic needs in his hierarchical pyramid of needs theory. Clothes also help us in expressing social status and personality. There must be a habit of wearing clean and healthy clothes by all members in families. 

d) Shelter

shelter is the place where we live . It is one of the basic needs. It lies under the category of safety needs. A congested house creates problems in accommodating family members within it. There must be enough rooms according to the size of the family. House must be well-ventilated to obtain adequate oxygen from the outer environment. It must be made clean and healthy by regular sanitation. An ideal house has separate bedrooms, kitchen, study rooms for students , latrine, and bathroom.

e) Sex

Sex is one of the components of basic physiological needs. Sex is essential to continue generation. Fulfillment of sexual desire gives a kind of satisfaction, called orgasm. People have different ways of fulfilling sex desires. But , it does not mean that sex abuse is a need of basic type. If sex is practiced just as a way of entertainment and sex abuse, it cannot be placed under the basic needs . Sex between married couple is socially accepted and regarded as genuine. Other categories of sex increases crime, rapes, blackmails, and social disorders.

f) Health

Health is placed under basic needs. It is accepted as a component of fundamental human rights. One's health depends upon various factors. Main factors among these are food, environment, lifestyle and heredity. It is also affected by the availability of health services and facilities.

g) Security

Security is placed under the basic safety needs in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Security includes physical as well as economic security . Family members must be protected from natural hazards like rainfall, wind and storm, as well as from different kinds of accidents. No one can be happy in insecure environment.  So,  security is also the basic need of family.

h) Education

Education is one of the essential factors of human life. Without education, no one can progress in his/her life. Education is needed to develop competence and to adjust in the society. Uneducated person cannot run his life successfully. He has to face different kinds of problems in this competitive and challenging world. So, to pass the life happily and successfully, family should provide proper and quality education to its members. 

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