Chileans appreciate guests who show genuine interest in their children. Guests are usually offered something to eat. The family unit in Chile encompasses the extended family. While men have tended to dominate private and public life in the past, recent years have seen a change in the attitudes about women in the home and professional world. Nearly 30 percent of the labor force is female.
Many women hold key political and business positions in Chile.
And while the father takes the lead in the family, the mother has considerable influence on decisions. The relationship between the husband and wife is characterized by reciprocity, with the man performing courtesies for the woman and vice versa. Group dating is emphasized early on. Men begin to marry at about age 22 and women marry between 18 and 23. Couples often date from one to three years before getting engaged.