Family Structure
The Finnish family life is usually understood to be centered on the nuclear family, rather than the extended family. There are usually one or two children in a family. Traditionally, men were the wage-earners and women remained in the home and cared for children. However, since the Second World War, gender roles have changed. Today, both men and women are dual wage-earners. The welfare system allows for generous parental leave with income-based benefits (Leitner, A. & Wroblewski, A., 2006). Finnish parents have the option to take partial or total leave they are entitled to. A majority of mothers opt to take longer leave, up to one year. Finland's divorce rate is 51% of marriages being dissolved (Statistics Finland, updated 5/07). Cohabitation is also common.
Youth seek independence and typically move from their parents' residence around the age of twenty and relocate to student accommodation or apartments. Females tend to leave the family home earlier in pursuit of education. Males remain in the home longer due to obligations to the military. Members of the extended family typically live apart.
Read more about this topic: Culture Of Finland
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