Families is a factor that play a crucial role in the way some people lives play out. In fact I will say it goes a long way in that aspect. Just as you stated, culture plays a crucial role in the structure of family. No matter what family is very key and we must be very careful that in the society, we set huge standard around to make sure it still hold on it's importance.
Do you know that there are people who no longer believe in families any longer probably due to what they have experienced
Part of the problem is the conflict between conservative and liberal values. Conservatives strongly support family values and maintaining traditional family structures. Liberals want to explore new ideas and different ways of living life.
Exploring different things is great for improving life. However, anything new needs to be assessed against the status quo. If it is an improvement, it should be pursued; if it is not, then it shouldn't be. There does not seem to be a good alternative to family. However, the family structure could be changed and still serve its main purposes.