I agree with the statement that the extended family is less import now than it was in the past. Nowadays, people recall the lovely old days when their extended family with members of three or four generations have dinner together. However, gone are these memorable pictures. With the development of society, the trend of family size reduction is inevitable.

First of all, it is noticeable that modern society has taken the place of an extended family regarding its means of helping family members. In ancient times, people lived in tribes because a single person or even a nuclear family were too weak to survive – tribes were super-sized extended families, partly. As time went by, these big family gradually shrank to members that were closer relatives for fewer people were able to plant and feed themselves with the help of domestic animals, and the government would provide organized help programs for families in bad situation. In modern society, it is more and more common for old people to live in care centres instead of being taken care of by children.

Secondly, modern technologies are making people ever more isolated. Young people are obsessed with internet on which they can almost do anything from ordering meals to entertaining in games or even dating someone. Therefore, young people find it less interesting to talk with the family members, let alone the buttoned-down old. It is a common scene that young people are playing with their smartphones on the dining table rather than chatting about family trivialities.

Last but not least, people’s life turns to unprecedented colourful and busy, making them feel reluctant to spare some time on things that are not first priority. In weekdays, people are busy with their career, hoping to earn more money so as to buy a better house and afford their children’s education. In holidays, they go on trips to relax and find it exciting to experience exotic places and people. For children, they are no less free. Competition starts rather early, making them have countless homework and on-campus activities.

Maybe people feel pity about these facts, but they cannot deny that extended family is less important, with less spur to rely on each other, their needs met by new technologies, and an ever more exciting life.