Family Structures: Beyond Nuclear Norms

French Caribbean families defy Western nuclear family models, maintaining patterns rooted in historical necessity and cultural creativity:

The Extended Network

"Family" extends far beyond blood relations: - Fictive kin: "Aunties" and "uncles" who aren't biologically related - Godparent systems: Creating additional support networks - Neighborhood parents: Adults collectively responsible for all children - Multi-generational households: Economic necessity and cultural choice

"My daughter has five grandmothers," laughs Marie-José Catalan. "My mother, my mother-in-law, my aunt who raised me, our neighbor who babysits, and the market vendor who's known her since birth. Rich in grandmothers if nothing else!"

Visiting Relationships

Many couples maintain separate residences: - Men "visit" but don't cohabit - Women maintain household autonomy - Children know fathers but live with mothers - Economic and emotional independence preserved

"My parents never lived together but Papa came every day," recalls teacher Jocelyne Rinaldo. "Mama said she loved him but needed her space. Forty years later, they're still together, still living apart. It works for them."

Multi-partner Fertility

Many people have children with different partners over time: - Not promiscuity but life circumstances - Creating complex sibling networks - Requiring sophisticated negotiation - Building extended support systems

"I have three children, three different fathers," states nurse Marie-Line Jean-Louis without shame. "Each relationship taught me something. My children have multiple father figures, bonus siblings, expanded love. Why is that wrong?"