1. Individual and Family Dynamics 120
The Family Life Cycle
Individual and Family Dynamics 120

2. Expectations of Teenagers
Make a list of 10 expectations you have of yourself for your future.

3. Expectations of Teenagers
Adolescents in Canada are optimistic about their futures as adults
A study of attitudes and values of teens aged 15-19, showed that most expected to graduate from school, pursue a career, marry, and be better off than their parents.
Bibby, Reginald. Expectations of Teenagers. Canada’s Teens: Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow. 2007

4. Expectation: % Indicating ‘Yes’ 95 93 96 86 62 61 88 87 89 45 47 43 97
National
Males
Females
Pursue a career 95 93 96
Get the job you want when you graduate 86
Stay with the same career for life 62 61
Get married 88 87 89
Eventually stay home and raise your children 45 47 43
Own your own home 97
Be more financially comfortable than your parents 79 81 77
Have to work overtime in order to get ahead 44 48 41
Travel extensively outside Canada 72 68
Be involved in your community 65

5. The Family Life Cycle
The family life cycle is a series of emotional and intellectual stages you pass through in predictable order from childhood to retirement as a member of a society and a family.

6. Key Terms - The Family Life Cycle
Family of Orientation: The family into which you are born. Also called the family of origin. 
Family of Procreation: The family you create once you launch from your family of orientation.
Stressor: An event that causes stress with the family. The ability of a family to overcome or cope with a stressor will depend on the family structure and the family personality.
Developmental Task: Challenges that force people to adjust their physical, emotional or intellectual state of being. These are prerequisites for a person to move on to the next stage in the cycle. For example, a newly married couple will learn how to negotiate and solve problems with each other. This gives them the skills needed to face the challenges of becoming parents. 
Transition: The shift from one family stage to another.

7. The Family Life Cycle This theory includes two basic concepts:
The life cycle
Emotional and intellectual stages from childhood to retirement as a member of a family.
The Developmental Task
growth responsibilities that arise at certain stages in the life of the family.

8. The Family Life Cycle
To be successful members need to adapt to family changes to ensure family survival.
In each stage, challenges in family life cause you to build/gain new skills.
Not everyone passes through these stages smoothly.

9. The Family Life Cycle
Severe illness, stress, financial problems, or death can have an effect on how well you pass through the stages.
If you miss skills in one stage, it is possible to learn them in later stages.

10. The Family Life Cycle

11. 1. Independence – Single Adulthood
Developmental tasks:
Most critical stage – focus is on building your own identity
As a young adult, begin to separate emotionally from the family
Strive to become fully able to support yourself emotionally, physically, socially, and financially.
Intimacy is a vital skill to develop.

12. 1. Independence – Single Adulthood
At this stage the young adult is out on his/her own maybe at college, working etc.
They are making decisions, maintaining their apartment, etc.
Often dating and developing relationships.

13. 2. Coupling Stage Commitment to a new family and a new way of life
Developmental tasks:
Ultimate goal is to achieve interdependence (occurs when you are fully able to enter into a relationship with another person.)
Requires that you share goals and that you are able to occasionally place the needs of others above your own.
You must first have acquired a high degree of independence.

14. 2. Coupling Stage Renting an apartment or house. Saving for a house
Getting a career going
Adjusting to married life.
Relationships with family and friends.
Roles in marriage
Planning for children.

15. 3. The Family With Young Children
Caring for young children cuts into the amount of time you might otherwise spend alone or with your spouse
Developmental tasks when young children join your family are:
Adjusting your marital system to make space for children
Taking on parenting roles
Realigning your relationships with your extended family to include parenting and grand-parenting roles

16. 3. The Family With Young Children
Expanding family.
Now coping with demands of young children.
Child care, rising expenses, demands of time and energy are experienced now.
Teaching values, morals, etc. are an important role.

17. 4. The Family With Adolescents
When oldest child is between ages of 13 and 20
Developmental tasks during this stage of parenting adolescents include:
Shifting parent-child relationships to allow the child to move in and out of the family system.
Shifting focus back to your midlife marital and career issues.
Beginning a shift toward concern for older generations in your extended family.

18. 4. The Family With Adolescents
Children are becoming more independent.
Peers play a larger role then when children were younger.
Parents and teens trying to balance responsibility, rules, preparing for when teens leave home.

19. 5. Launching Stage
When oldest child leaves family until the youngest leaves home.
Developmental tasks to attain at this stage:
Refocusing on your marriage without children
Developing adult relationships with your children
Realigning relationships to include in-laws and grandchildren when your children begin their own families

20. 5. Launching Stage
Children gradually leave home to go to college, university, work and support themselves.
This is a time of adjustment for everyone.
“Boomerang generation”

21. 6. Empty Nest and Retirement
From time children are gone until couple retires.
Developmental tasks include:
Renewing and redefining marriage relationship
Preparing for retirement

22. 6. Empty Nest and Retirement
Maintaining your own interests and physical functioning, along with those of your spouse.
Exploring new family and social roles.
Providing emotional support for your adult children and extended family members.

23. 7. Aging Family From retirement until death of the marriage partner
Developmental tasks to reach at this final stage include:
Adjusting to retirement
Loss of spouse, siblings and other peers, and preparing for your own death.
Reviewing your life and reflecting on all you have learned and experienced during your life cycle.

24. 7. Aging Family
This is a time when husband and wife can reconnect and spend more time together.
Retirement also means less demand on ones times and now may travel, go on trips, visit children and grandchildren.
Loneliness and living alone.

25. Variations in the Family Life Cycle
Any of the following may change the pattern or characteristics of each stage:
Divorce
Single adulthood
Couples without children
Single parenthood
Re-marriage
Adult children come back

26. Family Life Cycle
Any of the following may change the pattern or characteristics of each stage:
Divorce
Single adulthood
Couples without children/Death of child
Re-marriage
Single parenthood
Adult children come back
In your group, discuss and list on chart paper:
Developmental task of this stage
Stressors
What is most likely to happen?
Your advice with explanation