7 situations only a woman married to a man with a joint family can relate to

Most of us might have grown up hearing this, “You don’t just marry an individual, you marry the family.” Whether these words come from a worried mother warning a reluctant daughter or a caring grandmother guiding the young one, but these express the experience of women, especially those who are married to men with joint families, and how they adjusted to the lifestyle of a new family. Living with the in-laws can be quite exhilarating and there would be good days as well as bad days. So, here are seven situations only a married woman living in a joint family can relate to.

If you value your privacy a lot, be prepared to face a constant invasion of your personal space when you stay with your in-laws. For girls, who grew up in a nuclear family, this might not be an easy situation to adjust to. But things would get better once you get acquainted with all the family members and spend time with them.

Wardrobe changes, perhaps, might be the biggest hurdle that many newly-wed women have difficulties to overcome when they have to stay with her husband’s family. Some people might have a conservative outlook and expect the new member of the family to dress according to their set standards. There is nothing wrong in having such expectations but for a girl who has grown up in a totally different environment, it might take her some time to change her way to dressing and it just cannot happen overnight.

Food habits can be something to worry about if there are drastic differences between her choice of food and that of her new family. For example, if a woman is married to a family of non-vegetarians, it might be quite a struggle for her to adjust to the new kitchen if she is a vegetarian. Same holds true for couples with different cultural backgrounds because the food habits of people in India differ from region to region.

When you live in a joint family, things need to be done taking into account everyone’s likes and dislikes, which means you would have to shoulder added responsibilities. This might be something as simple as cooking a meal—if you are alone you might have to cook for only two but when you are with a family, you will have to cook for more people. Even while making plans, it’s not just about two people. Vacations can be overwhelming, family functions can be tiring and there will be no end to celebrations. But at the same time, that’s what makes living with a family more endearing, isn’t it?

Ah! This is something that is unavoidable. When so many people with different personalities and temperaments live together, drama and politics would be an inseparable part of their lives. And when a new member, in this case, the newly-wed woman becomes a part of the family, she might face some turbulent times understanding and adjusting to the new environment and the equations people share with each other.

Love it or hate it, living in a joint family has its own charm as well. You will always have someone to share your happiness with and a shoulder to cry on during bad days. Only people who stay alone can understand the importance of family support and no matter how difficult it might be to adjust to a new family in the beginning, it only gets better as time flies.

Whether it is a family function or a normal evening, there will be no dull moment in a woman’s life when she is married to a man with a joint family. That’s the advantage of having a big family—your life is like one big fat Indian wedding and there will never be any shortage of drama, good humour and camaraderie.

(All images used here are representational)