"A family with no children is not a family at all." Discuss.

1. Your argument shows consideration of the values a family should have. how can this be linked to the other group members' arguments, especially those in favor of the statement?

2. DISAGREE - PRINCIPLE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE There are different forms of family units and families may not necassarily have to be created in the form of a nuclear family, where children are required to make the unit complete. The essence of marriage is unconditional love and mutual care, and by default, this form of care and kinship should transcend into the pages of their lives regardless of the presence of children. Marriage represents the union of a pair of lovebirds and the joy of marriage is what keeps a family unit strong, ensuring that both sides of a couple will look out for one another, which is what an ideal family should be about. Hence, the ideal family should have qualities which include mutual understanding and trust, sense of belonging and identity, and above all, warmth; and any family who possesses these attributes irregardless of the presence of children should be proudly identified as one. Thus, it is unfounded to claim that a family with no children is not a family at all. Ying Chang

2.1. DISAGREE - PRINCIPLE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE There are different forms of family units and families may not necassarily have to be created in the form of a nuclear family, where children are required to make the unit complete. The essence of marriage is unconditional love and mutual care, and by default, this form of care and kinship should transcend into the pages of their lives regardless of the presence of children. Marriage represents the union of a pair of lovebirds and the joy of marriage is what keeps a family unit strong, ensuring that both sides of a couple will look out for one another, which is what an ideal family should be about. Hence, the ideal family should have qualities which include mutual understanding and trust, sense of belonging and identity, and above all, warmth; and any family who possesses these attributes irregardless of the presence of children should be proudly identified as one. Thus, it is unfounded to claim that a family with no children is not a family at all. Ying Chang

3. AGREE - SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS OF A MARRIED COUPLE When a couple legally endorse their marriage, not only do they profess their love to each other, but they invariably create their own family unit with the goals of creating a comfortable living space for themselves as a family. Society will move on to expect newly-weds to create a nuclear family unit since most couples would have already began to settle down in their careers and enjoy a relatively steady pace of life, and should shift their focus back to enlarging the family by bearing offspring. In many societies, even western liberal democracies where freedom of choice is very much respected, there is a non-verbalised calling for married couples to give birth not only because of the joys of parenthood which could be subjective to some, but more importantly because of the responsibilities that a married woman is attached to. Society believes that it is only the natural order for woman to give birth and raise the family after they marry, such is the natural responsibilities of men being the breadwinner of the household. As such, it is inconceivable for a woman to not attempt to procreate after marriage, and this is generally frowned upon. Sofia

4. AGREE - IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN IN TRADITIONAL SOCIETIES In many traditional societies in the world, the importance of a child in a family cannot be downplayed and their presence is deemed essential to completing the entire equation of the household; taking away a child from a family is tantamount to just a relationship for unnatural passions, and this kind of extreme negative portrayal is something that childless families would like to avoid. Children are prized entities in such societies because they are dependent upon to assist the family in their businesses such as agriculture in agrarian China, or to extend the family line, and it could sometimes involve family pride if a family have produced male offspring. In patriarchies especially such as Pakistan and China, boys are placed on a pedestal and the birth of a baby boy into a family is often heralded as "god-sent" and something of great utility and principle importance to a family. Hence, it is unimaginable for such societies to readily recognise a family with no children as a family in itself due to entrenched beliefs built upon after layers of generation, which are very difficult to eradicate. Xuan Rong

5. THESIS STATEMENT: The conventions of society often compel us to believe that children are important assets to a family. However as the post-modernisation era takes prevalence, more married couples are putting aside plans for having children. This challenges the social norm, and fuels us to wonder if a family with no children is still considered a family. However, it is my conviction that a family without children is indeed, no family at all.

6. CONCLUSION: In essence, I believe that children are the cardinal axle in a family - the ones who fulfil societal conventions of a family and complete the family itself. Without children, beliefs pertaining to family are compromised. The idea of a family, one of the pillars of society, would then be disrupted, eroding the social-makeup of society. Hence, I staunchly believe that family with no children is never a family itself.