Family Forms…

Kids out of 100% 10% 21% 38% 31% Nationwide Family Type Number of Children Children living in blended families, including either a step-parent or step-sibling. Children living with both natural parents and full brothers or sisters. Children living in extended families including other people such as uncles, cousins, aunts or grandparents. Children living in one-parent families. 10% 21% 38% 31%

Flexibility, adaptability and tolerance for change are helpful skills for making any family form succeed!

Family Relationships What is a relationship? An interaction between two or more people. Who does a family relationship involve? Parents, siblings, peers, spouse, grandparents The family relationship is constantly changing. It is important to remember that an individual is going through various stages of his/her life cycle while the family is going through its own cycle.

Family Life Cycle Stage 1: Beginning Family The married couple establish their home but do not yet have children. Stage 2: Childbearing Family From the birth of the first child until that child is 2 ½ years old. Stage 3: Family with Preschoolers When the oldest child is between the ages of 2 ½ and 6. Stage 4: Family with School Children When the oldest child is between the ages of 6 and 13.

The Family Life Cycle Continued... Stage 5: Family with Teenagers When the oldest child is between the ages of 13 and 19. Stage 6: Launching Center From the time the oldest child leaves the family for independent adult life till the time the last child leaves. Stage 7: Empty Nest From the time the children are gone till the marital couple retires from employment. Stage 8: Aging Family From retirement till the death of the surviving marriage partner.

What is your definition of the stereotypical family? Working dad?? Stay-at-home mom?? 1-2 children?? Less than 5% of all U.S. households are in this family form.

American Family Forms 1. Living Alone 1 of 24 adults remain single throughout their life. 66% of single people are women. 2. Cohabitation (POSSLQs) Persons of the opposite sex sharing living quarters. Couples who live together before marriage, divorce just as often as those who marry first. 3. Marrying Later in Life Average age to marry: men - 25.9, women - 23.6 More young people are not marrying or are marrying later.

American Family Forms 4. Couples Having Children Later in Life More couples are waiting to become parents until their careers are established. Estimated cost to raise child is $200,000 5. Couples With Fewer Children The average is 1 or none.. 6. Couples With No Children Due to career commitments, fertility problems or just because they enjoy their childless lifestyles, many couples are remaining “Double Income, No Kids” couples.

American Family Forms 7. Divorced Adults 8. Single-Parent Families Approximately 60% of all divorces involve couples with children in the home. 8. Single-Parent Families About 1 in 4 children live with only one parent. Divorced women’s standard of living drops 73%, while divorced men jumps 42%. 9. Grown Children Moving In With Their Parents Families with two children and young parents living at home with their parents has doubled in last 10 years..

American Family Forms 10. Grandparents Living With Families With greater longevity, there are more elderly people. 11. Blended Families Divorced parents, especially fathers are likely to remarry. Flexibility and humor will assist in the adjustment.

American Family Forms 12. Working Mothers More than half of American mothers with infants less than a year old are working outside the home. Day care for these children can cost up to 1/3 the family budget. Working mothers have 15 fewer hours of leisure a week than fathers.

Building Strong Families “Is your family united? How can you help unite and strengthen your family?

What are the Secrets of a Strong Family?

1. Appreciation Give it Frequently Be Appreciative of “Invisible Work” Behavior is Contagious! Don’t Give Up Too Quickly

2. Affection Small touches, hugs & kisses Use verbal affection often (appreciation, compliments, etc.) Develops bonding Don’t assume they “already know it”

3. Commitment Go with each other when one of you has an activity. Share daily experiences. Show that you are in it for long haul. (You won’t give up on family easily.)

4. Time Together Quality time is better than quantity time. Family Experiences Vacations Camping Daily Experiences Eating together!!!! Chores Doing homework The purpose of the experience is to strengthen the relationship.

5. Creative Problem Solving Strong families can solve problems in creative ways. Happy families have the same number of arguments, but they focus on happy times. It is ok to have problems, but the key is to solve them quickly. The longer you are in an argument, the harder it is to get out. Why?

6. Communication Communication is the key! Be willing to share daily events and experiences often to foster communication. Without communication, the family unit falls apart. Is there a member of your family that you have not talked to for a long time because of a conflict? How does this lack of communication make you feel?