ated ▁economic ▁support , ▁which ▁can ▁last ▁for ▁years , ▁including ▁by ▁al im ony , ▁child ▁support , ▁and ▁joint ▁cust ody . ▁Bob ▁Sim pson , ▁the ▁British ▁social ▁Anth rop ologist , ▁notes ▁that ▁it ▁creates ▁an ▁" ext ended ▁family " ▁by ▁t ying ▁together ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁households , ▁including ▁mobile ▁children . ▁He ▁says ▁that ▁Brit ons ▁may ▁have ▁ex ‑ w ives ▁or ▁ex ‑ bro thers ‑ in ‑ law , ▁but ▁not ▁an ▁ex ‑ child . ▁According ▁to ▁him , ▁these ▁" unc lear ▁families " ▁do ▁not ▁fit ▁the ▁m old ▁of ▁the ▁mon og am ous ▁nuclear ▁family . ▁ ▁Group ▁marriage ▁ ▁Group ▁marriage ▁is ▁a ▁non - mon og am ous ▁marriage - like ▁arrangement ▁where ▁three ▁or ▁more ▁adult s ▁live ▁together , ▁all ▁considering ▁themselves ▁partners , ▁sharing ▁fin ances , ▁children , ▁and ▁household ▁respons ib ilities . ▁Poly am ory ▁is ▁on ▁a ▁continu um ▁of ▁family - b onds ▁that ▁includes ▁group ▁marriage . ▁The ▁term ▁does ▁not ▁refer ▁to ▁big amy ▁as ▁no ▁claim ▁to ▁being ▁married ▁in ▁formal ▁legal ▁terms ▁is ▁made . ▁ ▁Relig ious ▁att itudes ▁to ▁pol yg amy ▁ ▁Buddh ism ▁Buddh ism ▁does ▁not ▁regard ▁marriage ▁as ▁a ▁sacr ament ▁- ▁it ▁is ▁purely ▁a ▁sec ular ▁affair , ▁and ▁normally ▁Buddh ist ▁mon ks ▁do ▁not ▁particip ate ▁in ▁it ▁( though ▁in ▁some ▁sect s ▁pri ests ▁and ▁mon ks ▁do ▁marry ). ▁Hence ▁marriage