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The Québécois Family

The concept of family was a couple who got married to have children. In my grandparents’ time, the family had 10 to 14 children. Religion dictated a big family, it was the mother’s role to be pregnant each year. My grandparents only had 5 children. Families started to get smaller. One of the reasons for that is urbanisation. The family farms were less numerous and people started to move into suburbs where it is almost impossible to have big families.

My parents had 4 children and we are considered a big family. The majority of my friends are are from two-children families. Because of the feminism movement, women started to work and have careers, so having a big family was optional. Also, divorce rates are increasing and one parent families have started to increase. Many People do not get married anymore, they do not believe in wedding.

Nowadays, there is a little increase of pregnancy in Québec because of the ideal conditions that government established for the families. In fact, women receive a bigger family allowance than before and can afford to stay home.

What has been always true for Québec families over all those transformations is the big family dinner. It is really important that all members of the family get together at least once a week to discuss their week and have fun together.