Economic, social and demographic situation is one of the key factors which exert influence on the way a family functions, specifically child-minding and upbringing. These fundamental family roles seem to be determined by the following variables: nationality, education, well-being, employment, number of children per family, family structure, cultural patterns existing in relevant societies, and political, economic and social changes. Hereunder macro-social conditions of a contemporary European family as well as its structural and functional characteristic are going to be presented.