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Ideally, a family should live in a house, with a fair amount of land surrounding it (say the ground floor should be at least 700 square feet, and the surrounding area of land (which of course would be the private property of the family) is desirable to be at least 40-50% of the built-up area.
There should be flowers, vegetables and fruits growing in this land. Very desirably some large, shady trees too.
The canopy of the latter may extend into the adjacent plot.
The adult and the senior couples should plant and tend to them, and occasionally the children too would play a part.
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The house of a family should be such that from the bed room windows, bathroom window (set high) and drawing room windows, the sky and foliage of trees (not just shrubs) should be visible.
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Food cooked at home. Even if simple. At least most days of the week. Made by family – mostly by the middle generation.
The house should be reasonably neat and clean. Though this idea should not be made a dogmatic or strict thing. Family members should concentrate on love, enjoyment, culture, high principles and diligent work. Good hobbies.
It is sensible to think that during religious days (pujas, Good Friday), festivals or arrival of guests – larger family members, the house would be especially and carefully cleaned and tidied up. Perhaps with a little bit of decoration at places.
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Householders should attach more importance to comfort, coziness and functionality than technical order or aesthetics in the arrangement of things. -Or in the management or schedule of household matters.
Everything need not be in its right place always 🙂
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There should be right (i.e. ‘fair’ and equitable) distribution of domestic work between the middle generation husband and wife.
This follows from a sense of morality and love.
One should not need to consciously follow a formula for this.
Each member of a couple should think of doing something beyond strictly half of his/her own share of works.
He or she should do it happily. – should not even notice it as such.
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That household is normal and ‘healthy’ where everyone-, each member is trying to care for the others, and bring about the well-being and happiness of the others.
The children (also) should have this mentality.
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Above all, if there is deep love and care amongst my family-members, people living together happily, then one does not need to be affluent. Life can be plain, simple. Indeed it probably should be plain and simple, so that we do not lose sight of, distract from the truly important things.
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Footnotes :
- Cleanliness is more important than orderliness or tidiness.
- Although a plain and simple life is desirable, it is also practically very important that the husband and wife have a large enough income, savings and assets. (And also, as most of us must be aware, the relevant members should have things like life insurance, health insurance and other safety provisions).