(585 kb)
(585 kb)
Since the baby boom generation, the extended Canadian family has dwindled considerably. A typical woman born in 1937—let's call her Catherine—had 13 aunts and uncles, related by blood, as well as their 13 spouses, related by law. She remembers large family gatherings during holidays and at weddings and funerals, happy vacations visiting the relatives, and cousins who came to stay when their mother was ill. Catherine's two children, born in 1959 and 1961, had three married aunts and one married uncle. In 1986, Catherine's oldest granddaughter, Julie, was born. She has one aunt, one uncle and one uncle-in-law. Julie is an only child. If her future spouse is also an only child, Julie's children (if she has children) will have no aunts or uncles. Traditional family roles may be redefined with friends, school, sports and clubs assuming a greater influence.