Should we live as an extended family or as a nuclear family? /Letter to newspaper/

Should we live as an extended family or as a nuclear family?
In some cultures it is common for the extended family to live together particularly in Asian countries, while in other cultures it is more common for only the nuclear family to live together. In my culture, and in my family, it is quite common for the extended family to live together; my grandmother and one of my uncle actually live in the same house with my uncle’s family and several other aunts and uncles live on the same block. Though it may not always be perfect when an extended family is living together, there are several good reasons why living with the extended family is preferable to living with only the nuclear family.
One possible reason is that if the extended family lives together, it is possible for the extended family to help with the day-to-day work of the family, particularly with raising the children. Children require a lot of attention, and it takes a lot of work to raise them well. Grandparents who live as part of the extended family can be very helpful with all of the work that it takes to raise children. In addition, grandparents can be very helpful in ensuring the children as much attention as possible.
More important than the help with the daily work of running a family is the role of older members of the extended family, such as grandparents, in maintaining family traditions. Grandparents who live with the younger generation are important because they can ensure that the younger generation knows the family heritage, where the family came from, and how it got to be the way that it is. Grandparents living with the extended family can also be instrumental in maintaining family traditions from one generation to the next and ensuring that they will be passed on to future generations.
Thus, it can be seen that having the extended family living together can be quite beneficial, and in more than one way. Extended family members can help not only with the mundane work of getting through the day; more importantly, they can ensure that family traditions will be passed from one generation to the next.