Marriage and Family Life
The place of family
The family is the basic unit of society where children learn faith, values and responsibility. Kenyan religions - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and African Traditional Religion - all teach that marriage and family are sacred. The CBC Religious Education learning area helps you think critically about faith, build healthy relationships and prepare for adult life.
Meaning and purposes of marriage
Marriage is a lifelong, publicly recognised union of a man and a woman, in the teaching of most religions and Kenyan law.
Purposes:
- Companionship and love
- Procreation: bringing up children in faith
- Mutual help and emotional support
- Social stability and continuation of the community
- Fulfilling religious duty
Preparing for marriage
- Choosing a partner with shared values, character and faith
- Premarital counselling by pastors, imams or elders
- Understanding legal requirements: Kenya recognises civil, Christian, Hindu, Islamic and customary marriages
- Mature age (the legal minimum is 18)
- Free consent from both people
Roles and responsibilities
| Member | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Husband | Love, protect, provide, share decisions |
| Wife | Love, support, nurture, share decisions |
| Parents | Provide needs, discipline with love, teach faith and values |
| Children | Obey, respect, help in chores, study and care for parents in old age |
Modern families share duties, since both spouses often work.
Values that build strong families
- Love and faithfulness
- Respect and forgiveness
- Honest communication
- Prayer and worship together
- Sharing and stewardship of resources
- Responsible parenting
Challenges facing families
- Poverty and unemployment
- Infidelity and divorce
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Domestic violence
- Peer pressure and misuse of social media
- Migration for work, leaving children with relatives
- HIV and other illnesses
Ways of overcoming challenges
- Dialogue and counselling
- Support from extended family and faith communities
- Skills training and income-generating projects
- Reporting violence to authorities and seeking legal help
- Family time and shared meals
Worked example 1
Question: How does the extended family support a nuclear family? Answer: It offers childcare, advice, financial help in emergencies, and helps resolve disputes.
Worked example 2
Question: How can a teenager contribute to a peaceful home? Answer: By obeying rules, helping with chores, communicating respectfully, avoiding bad company, and studying well.
Try it
- List three purposes of marriage and one teaching from your faith that supports each.
- Explain two ways social media can harm families.
- Write a short role play showing how a couple solves a money disagreement.
- Name three duties you perform for your family.