Family Forms

Millions of Kids• 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 (MOM only) families.

• Children living in one-parent (DAD only) families.

• 8 million

• 3.6 million

• 7 million

• 17 million

• 42 million

Family Type Number of Children

2006 statistics

Flexibility, adaptability and tolerance for

change are helpful skills for making family

life terrific!

Relationship• What?

• An interaction between two or more people.

• Who?• Parents, siblings, peers, spouse,

grandparents

• They are constantly changing.

• An individual is going through various stages of his life cycle while the family is going through its cycle.

Family Life Cycle

Leaving Home

marriage

Paren

ting

Childbearing Family 0-2 1/2 years old

Ret

irem

ent

Empty

Nest

Laun

chin

g

Laun

chin

g

Cente

r

Cente

r

Family with Preschoolers 2 ½ - 6 yrs

Family with School Children 6 -13 yrs old

Parenting adolescents 14-20 yr old

Independence

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.

Family Life Cycle Continued...

• Stage 5: Family with Teenagers• When the oldest child is between the

ages of 13 and 20.• 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.

Write down your definition of the stereotypical family.

• Working dad• Stay-at-home

mom• 2 or 3 children

Only 10% of all households are in this family form.

American Family Forms• Living Alone

• Advantages: Not responsible for others• Disadvantages: Alone and loss of relationships

• POSSLQs: Persons of the opposite sex sharing living quarters.• Advantages: Share of financial responsibilities and

get to know each other before marriage. • Disadvantage: Commitment to housing could

create problems if relationship does not work out. A child could be conceived and relationship may not be ready for this step.

• Marrying Later in Life Waiting till in late 20’s early 30’s. • Advantage: More mature and emotionally ready• Disadvantage: Could have lost out on an earlier possible love..

• Couples Having Children Later in Life (after 35)• Advantage: Financially ready• Disadvantage: Females could have genetic or

pregnancy problems.

• Couples With Fewer Children• Advantage: Less competition & more resources• Disadvantage: less team approach & more

alone

• Couples With No Children• Advantage: More resources & time for each

other• Disadvantage: Alone and no legacy left as a

family.

American Family Forms

American Family Forms

• Divorced Adults• Advantage: Less Conflict in the family• Disadvantage: You do not see both parents all the

time.

• Single-Parent Families• Advantage: Attention on children and less on partner• Disadvantage: Less resources and loneliness.

• Grown Children Moving In With Their Parents• Advantage: Support from parents financially &

emotionally• Disadvantage: Parents go back to being in charge

and also can enable children to where they wont move out on their own..

American Family Forms • Grandparents Living With Families

• Advantage: Support to family with childrenSupport to them if they need assistance.

Disadvantage: Can create new dynamics and change room arrangements to accommodate them.

• Blended Families• Advantage: Not alone & Diversity • Disadvantage: Too much chaos & sharing

of parents & personal space, etc. • Working Mothers

• Advantage: More income to family • Disadvantage: Less time to family & kids.

• ■ Adaptability• ■ Appreciation.• ■ Clear roles• ■ Commitment to family• ■ Communication• ■ Community and family ties• ■ Encouragement of individuals• ■ Shared time

Characteristics of Strong Families

How Strong Is Your Family?Traditions

Have this completed for Educational Leadership.

Everything needs to be typed!!!!