4 Items the Modern Nuclear Family Prioritizes
There are many items that come to mind when you think about how nuclear families have operated over the last century. For example, families often need a reliable and safe car like the Toyota Camry to get them from one place to another.
Kids need responsible entertainment options like swimming pools and sporting equipment to play outside with friends. If they want to play video games inside the house, Nintendo has been the household name in family entertainment since the 1980s.
But just because these items have been the norm, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to endure through the 2020s. We’ll discuss all the typical family items that have
been prioritized for years, and the chances of them still being relevant for many new generations to come.
#1 – Nintendo Video Games
Nintendo has always been a family-friendly video game company. They have a very small number of “Mature” rated games by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Their image has always been prided on making sure gaming is an activity for everyone to enjoy.
Their characters are iconic. Mario, Link, Kirby, and Donkey Kong are colorful and innocent. They have been passed down from generation to generation, with many hardcore fans now showing their kids and even their grandkids these characters. So yes, Nintendo is still very much an essential in the nuclear family’s house.
Nintendo’s Current Console
The Nintendo Switch, the company’s latest successful product, is the fastest-selling console in the company’s history. The ability to play the games on the Switch in front of the television or on the go helps parents. Parents can keep their kids entertained no matter where children are playing, and they usually don’t have to worry about the games being too mature.
Nintendo’s success doesn’t mean other video games aren’t popular. Sony and Microsoft are also large video game companies and kids enjoy their games. Every parent can use their discretion on what to buy for their family. Nintendo is one of the only companies where you don’t have to worry about their games having inappropriate content.
Smartphone gaming has been one of the kings of the video game market for young kids recently, too. Parents can stick their kids in front of Candy Crush or another popular app on the market and keep them distracted during errands or after school. Either way, gaming is more relevant than ever for families in 2024, and Nintendo is at the head of it.
#2 – Toyota Camry
There are many cars that have been famous for keeping families safe and getting them to work and school. Sales figures show the Toyota Camry has been the most popular sedan in the U.S. for the last two decades. Why, though?
The Camry has everything you would want in a family car. It has great modern safety features. It comes in a large selection of colors to make parents and kids happy. It has sportier models teens will be happy to drive when they get their driver’s licenses. What else could you want?
Auto insurance on the Camry is right on par with its competitors. You can get discounts on your policy with great driving skills and responsible choices on the road. Teen drivers can get discounts driving a Camry if they get good grades in school. Parents should look into these discounts because teen drivers are expensive to insure.
Other good family cars include the Toyota Corolla if you want a smaller sedan and the Honda Accord. All of these cars have modern safety technology like blindside monitors and anti-lock brakes.
Research shows these safety features can make drivers take the road for granted. Make sure you still prioritize using your own eyes before the car’s computer monitors. Technology is supposed to work in conjunction with your own skills.
#3 – Refrigerators
Refrigerators are always going to be a much-needed item for any person, especially in a nuclear family. These appliances have been keeping important family items cold for over 100 years. Fridges have changed in modern times, though. What technology is the modern family looking for in a fridge?
French-door models are some of the most popular right now. Models that put the freezer at the bottom of the appliance are also good for families. This allows children to get their own freezer foods for snacks. The downside is they can also get into the ice cream and the unhealthy junk food they love.
Modern families want energy-efficient appliances, and most fridges have made great strides in this area recently. Many refrigerator brands in 2024 use a fraction of the electricity a model from 2002 did. Talk to the local store where you are shopping for refrigerators whether they can give you detailed information about your model’s energy.
#4 – Smartphones
A smartphone is definitely an item that wasn’t part of the nuclear family in the past. In fact, having any type of cellphone was a novel concept for kids before the mid-2000s. Parents have often been reluctant to give their children cellphones, but they are very necessary for safety and communication in 2022.
Every modern family has to stay in touch with each other. One kid might be at soccer practice. Another kid may be in the band and the parents are at work. In case of any emergency, it is imperative that kids have smartphones to let adults know what is happening.
These devices are also instrumental in setting reminders about homework and waking kids up in the morning with an alarm. The applications to real life and the things that have been made more convenient by smartphones are plentiful. You can download interesting apps for kids that are child-friendly.
When deciding what is still relevant in modern times and what isn’t, it really comes down to many of the same values families have always had. What items can keep children safe? What items are going to allow for entertainment, but not expose kids to mature content?
These four items above are highly relevant in many nuclear families in 2022. It will be interesting to see how they evolve in the future.