family boundaries

As a pediatrician i have observed that children who come from villages are usually accompanied by 2-3 people , none of whom is either his mother or father. It is usually an uncle or aunt or grandparent.
But the child from the city will always be with either mother or father or both.
Are city folk more possessive about their childre? Are family boundaries less clear in villages. or is it simple practicality that whoever in the family is less busy like grandparents, take the child to the doctor?
It is an interesting phenomenon
gouri