Why Do Some Americans,including Functionalists,often Describe the Family as "The

Why do some Americans,including functionalists,often describe the family as "the backbone of society"? Are other social institutions (including government and education)now performing some of the traditional functions of the family? If so,which ones,and what are implications of the importance of the family in the future? If you think that the family will continue to be a major social institution in the future,explain why.