What family structure consists of parents and their children living together?

The nuclear family is characterized by a family structure that consists of two parents and their biological or adopted children living together in one household. This model typically emphasizes a close, immediate family unit where the parents share responsibility for the upbringing and care of their children. The concept of the nuclear family contrasts with other types of family structures that may include additional members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other relatives living in the same household, which would align more with the extended family definition.

In a blended family, parents bring children from previous relationships into a new family unit, which does not fit the traditional definition of a nuclear family. An unmarried family refers to parents who may live together and have children but are not legally married, which also deviates from the standard definition of a nuclear family. Thus, identifying the nuclear family structure reflects the classic composition focused solely on parents and their children residing together.