Stage 1: Independence Stage: Family Life Cycle: Issues Influencing Each Stage

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 9

Family Life Cycle: Issues Influencing Each Stage

  
Stage 1: Independence stage 

Generally occurs in adolescence/young adulthood. Stage where an individual starts to support


him/herself emotionally, physically, socially, and financially, develop qualities and establish
his/her identity in this world. 
As noted, Intimacy is a vital skill to develop during this stage for it helps you maintain family
relationships while building new relationships that lead to starting your own family.
Issues Influencing this stage include:
1. Desiring more autonomy but not getting it
Autonomy can be defined as the ability to make choices according to one's own free will.
2. Struggling with sexual and personal identity
Sexuality (Sexual Identity) is about how you see and express yourself sexually.
Personal identity (PI) is a composite of your personality traits, beliefs, values, physical
attributes, abilities, aspirations, and other identifiers that make you who you are.
3. Finding a sense of belonging in the world
A sense of belonging involves more than simply being acquainted with other people. It is instead
centered on gaining acceptance, attention, and support from members of the group as well as
providing the same attention to other members.
4. Retaining a relationship with your family of origin as independence is fostered
Family of origin refers to the significant caretakers and siblings that a person grows up with, or
the first social group a person belongs to
5. Lacking good models for making the move to a healthy fulfilling adult life

Stage 2: Coupling Stage


The next stage in the family life cycle may be coupling. Using qualities such as trust that you
gained in the independence stage, you can explore your ability to commit to a new family and a
new way of life. Although being in an intimate relationship with someone does involve a process
of adaptation and relationship building, a marriage or committed union often requires unique
skills.

You may find that some of the ideas or expectations that you held in the past are not realistic at
this stage. Some common areas of adjustment include:

1.Finances
Figuring out finances with each other for the first time is very important. Some people are
spenders. Others are savers. So, if you get a spender and a saver together in a marriage, you
can see how that would become a problem.

2.Lifestyle

Having a different lifestyle can strain the relationship between a two people. Personalities
change and a couple may not remain compatible as they transition to different life stages. 

3.Recreational activities or hobbies


There is one or more hobbies that a person has. One may question their interest and might
cause overstepping boundaries which can inflict conflict. 

4.Relationship with in-laws

In-laws can be a blessing to a couple, but can also bring tension to a marriage.  

5.Sexuality or sexual compatibility

Everyone has different sexual needs—both in frequency and type. Most couples have a
problem with their sexual compatibility in which this is one of the common reason for a divorce
or separation. 

6.Friendships

Everyone values their friendship but anyone cannot understand that fact. Being jealous can turn
a marriage sour, especially if the jealous feelings are unrealistic.  Jealous persons can become
overbearing and controlling or angry and rejecting.

7.Putting another person’s needs before your own

If one spouse constantly places his or her needs above the goals and interests of the marriage,
it’s only a matter of time before the neglected spouse begins to feel rejected and unloved.

Stage 3: Preparing: Babies through adolescent 

-Making a decision to have a baby 

At some point in your relationship, you and your partner will decide if you want to have a baby.
Some couples know going into a relationship that they do not want children. Parenting is one of
the most challenging phases of the family life cycle.

The decision to have children is one that affects your individual development, the identity of your
family, and your relationship. Children are so time-consuming that skills not learned in previous
stages will be difficult to pick up at this stage. Your ability to communicate well, maintain your
relationships, and solve problems is often tested during this stage.

Introducing a child into your family results in a major change in roles for you and your partner.
Each parent has three distinct and demanding roles: as an individual, a partner, and a parent.
As new parents, your individual identities shift along with how you relate to each other and to
others. The skills that you learned in the Independence and Coupling stages, such as
compromise and commitment, will help you move to the Parenting stage.

Along with the joy that comes from having a child, you may feel a great deal of stress and fear
about these changes. A woman might have concerns about being pregnant and going through
childbirth. Fathers tend to keep their fears and stress to themselves, which can cause health
problems.
Talking about your emotional or physical concerns with your family physician, obstetrician, or
counselor can help you deal with these and future challenges.

-Parenting young children


1. Providing Basic Care for Your Child

Your child has fundamental physical needs such as food, clothing, and shelter that must be fulfilled and
it is up to you to provide for those needs. Ensure that they take a healthy diet instead of getting
addicted to junk food.

2. Taking Care of Their Mental and Emotional Needs

Love, a feeling of security, happiness, and well-being are important to a child, so make sure your child
has all of these. Try to handle their tantrums with love and patience. Staying calm and having a one-to-
one conversation will have a positive impact on them.

3. Teaching Them to Socialize

Teaching your child how to socialize and interact with others is crucial for their overall development. Ask
them to make friends in school and neighborhood. However, don’t force them to mix with others, as it
might affect them negatively. Be patient; their shyness will disappear after a certain age.

4. Showing That You Love Them

Make sure your child knows you love him or her, and if you have more than one child, always show
them equality in your affections. Try to remain impartial and avoid judging who is right or wrong in case
of sibling rivalry.

5. Instilling Good Behavior in Them

Guiding your child’s behavior to teach them proper conduct, and to educate them about boundaries and
limitations is important to inculcate good behavior. Don’t tolerate the angry or rude behavior. Talk to
them to find out the reason for their rude or angry behavior.

6. Spending Quality Family Time


Spending quality time with your children solidifies the bond you share with your child and adds to their
sense of security and well-being. Involve them in some interesting activities or hobbies to avoid being
addicted to modern gadgets.

7. Looking after Their Educational Needs

Providing for your child’s educational needs and teaching them proper study habits is important for
them to perform well. However, forcing them to study will not work. If they are not interested in
studies, try to find out the actual reason.

8. Inculcating the Importance of Discipline

Teaching your child the importance of discipline and self-control is essential to help them develop in an
obedient child. Be calm when your child refuses to do something and talk to them why they are doing so
and respect their opinion. Try to explain to them what is accepted or what is not.

9. Improving Their Communication Skills

Establishing a foundation for good communication skills and the ability to express themselves will help
your child become self-confident and independent. Teach them how to communicate and express in the
right and polite manner.

10. Being a Role Model

Being a positive and inspiring role model for your child to learn from is one of the most challenging tasks
as your child looks up to you as their first role model. The better you will manage yourself, the better
chances you have that your child will follow you.

-Parenting Adolescent 

Adolescence is the age of change and a transition phase from childhood to adulthood. It is a vulnerable
time when children might develop unhealthy habits that grow into problems in their adult life. Behavior
issues of adolescence, which are quite common, also crop up during this time, making it impossible for
parents to reach out to their teenagers.

1. Physical Changes
• As they develop physical changes, teens started to get insecure about their physical appearance
or sometimes get scared to the changes in their body. This part of time they started to feel sensitive and
some can’t explain how they feel that leads them to think that no one understand them.

2. Emotional changes and problems

• Adolescence is the age between adulthood and childhood. Teenagers are often confused about
their role and are torn between their responsibilities as growing adults and their desires as children.

• They tend to feel overly emotional (blame it on the hormones). Just about anything and
everything can make them happy, excited, mad or angry.

3. Behavioral Changes

• Adolescence is the time when children develop and exercise their independence. This can give
rise to questioning the parents’ rules (seen as argumentative) and standing up for what they believe is
right (seen as stubbornness).

4. Substance Use and Abuse

• Teenagers are vulnerable and can be easily swayed to the wrong side. Substance abuse is one of
the biggest problems

5. Educational Changes

• Pressure to perform academically and obtain college admission can be stressful and make your
teenager moody.

• Distractions at school can result in poor academic performance, which will add to the pressure.

6. Health problems

• Adolescents are vulnerable emotionally and physically. Without proper nutrition and healthcare,
they are susceptible to illnesses.

• Teenagers have a hectic schedule as they hop from one activity to another with little time to eat
or rest properly. Unhealthy eating habits prevent them from getting the nutrition they need.

7. Psychological Problems

• Research has revealed that around 50% of mental health disorders that adults have, begin at the
age of 14. In fact, one-third of adolescent deaths are suicides triggered by depression

• Teenagers may have self-esteem or confidence issues. The feelings of inferiority or superiority
often arise from their appearance, and acceptance of their body – skin color, beauty, and figure.

8. Social problems – dating and relationships


• Attraction to the opposite sex begins during puberty. Adolescence is the time when their sexual
or reproductive organs start developing.

• This is the time they start dating. Your adolescent may not be comfortable talking to you about
it and may go with little information or misinformation they have about it.

9. Sexual health – unplanned pregnancy and STIs

• Adolescence is the time when teens experience their first kiss, the intimate dance with their
‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’ and secret make out sessions.

• Without proper guidance, teenagers may become sexually active before they are ready. This
could result in unwanted pregnancies. Unwanted pregnancy is the biggest risk that adolescent girls face.

10. Addiction to cyberspace

• The advent of social media has changed the way we interact with each other. It has affected
teenage lifestyles the most.

• Adolescents addicted to the internet tend to have fewer friends and a less active social life. They
lead solitary lives and are happy browsing the internet for hours.

11. Aggression and violence

• Aggression is especially a concern with adolescent boys. Young boys start to develop muscles,
grow tall and have a coarser, manly voice. In addition to that, they are moody and vulnerable and can let
others get under their skin. Worse, they could start bullying others, which is a major problem that
adolescent boys and girls have to deal with.

Stage 4: Empty Nest: Launching Adult Children 

Empty Nest: Launching Adult Children


The stage of launching adult children begins when your first child leaves home and ends with
the "empty nest." When older children leave home, there are both positive and negative
consequences. If your family has developed significant skills through the family life cycle, your
children will be ready to leave home, ready to handle life's challenges. Free from the everyday
demands of parenting, you may choose to rekindle your own relationship and possibly your
career goals

A. Reasons To Move Out Of Your Parents’ House

Whether you are beginning to feel stifled at home, or you're constantly fighting with your family,
or you are tired of being treated like a child, these are all clear signs that it’s time to move out of
your parents’ house. The particular reasons to leave home may be different:
• wishing to prove yourself and grow as a person;
• wishing to move in with your significant other;
• wishing to move closer to your college, your workplace, or another important location you need
to visit on a daily basis;
• conflict with your parents; etc.,
But the only viable solution is to change the current situation and start a life on your own.

B. Why Is It Good To Move Out Of Your Parents’ House

You will have greater freedom and more space for yourself when living on your own, of course,
but the actual benefits of moving out of your parents’ house are far more important – you will
have more stimuli to improve your life skills and enhance your general knowledge, will gain
experience in dealing with common problems and troublesome situations, and will be able to
grow as a person who can take care of his/her own life.
So, let’s take a closer look at the substantial advantages of moving out of parents’ home.

• Independence - The gratifying sense of autonomy and self-sufficiency you are going to get
once you move out of home will be worth all the hardships you may come across your path to
independence. 
• Privacy - Parents tend to be inquisitive, no matter how old you are or how responsible an adult
you have become. This lack of privacy may considerably limit your social activities and make
you feel frustrated or unfulfilled. 
• Self steem and self reliance - Moving out of home puts both your emotional strength and your
real life skills to the test. It presents enormous challenges that require a lot of resourcefulness
and resolution to overcome. 
• Plenty Of Time And Space For Yourself - It is a certain fact that after moving out of your
parents’ house, you will have much more time and space available for yourself – it will be
entirely up to you to use them as you find fit.
• New Opportunities - When moving out of your parents’ house, you can choose a new city or a
new neighborhood that will better suit your needs and preferences in terms of convenient
location and available opportunities.

C. Why Is It Hard To Move Out Of Your Parents’ House

Here are some good reasons why not to move out of your parents’ house:
• Financial Difficulties - When you move out of your parents’ home, mom and dad will no longer
provide for your needs and cover your living expenses
• Housework - Cooking, cleaning, doing the laundry, and mowing the lawn are just a few
examples of the endless time-consuming, laborious, and annoying household chores you will
have to take care of when living on your own. 
• Emotional Disadvantages - It is not only cheaper and more comfortable to live at home, but
also much more “secure” in terms of ensuring your emotional well-being and providing you with
a safe haven from the hostile outside world.

D. Advice On Moving Out Of Your Parents’ House

When moving out for the first time, you need all the help you can get in order to ensure a
favorable outcome of your relocation adventure. Here are some valuable tips for moving out of
your parents’ house that will be of great help when you decide to make the big step:

• Find an appropriate new home – make sure your new place is safe and comfortable, located in
a good neighborhood close to your workplace and various local amenities. 
• Draw up a realistic budget – estimate the moving costs and the costs of living in your new
home. 
• Take all the help you can get – discuss your plans with your family and friends and ask them
for help. 
• Organize a cheap and trouble-free relocation – sort out your items and take only those of them
that you are actually going to need (the fewer items you move, the less you will pay for packing
and transportation). 
• Stay in touch with your family and your friends – when you move away from home, you will
probably re-appreciate your caring parents and your dear friends. 

That’s all we had to say. It’s your turn now – weigh all the pros and cons of moving out of
parents’ house and make the best of your life!

Stage 5: Retirement or Senior Stage 

When it comes time to retire, one of the big decisions people need to make is where they are
going to live. Many people choose to stay in the homes they have lived in for decades,
preferring the familiarity of their surroundings and their neighborhood. Others decide to move,
either to downsize and have a smaller space or to move to another location to enjoy warmer
weather or to be closer to children and grandchildren. For those choosing to move, they have
the option of independent living in a senior-focused community. Such a choice has both pros
and cons.

Choice of Living Arrangements-


Independent living offers a number of different living situations giving retirees a wide range of
choices. Many communities offer individual homes and town homes, so people continue to be
able to live in a free-standing structure with their own yard. Other independent living
arrangements include condos or apartments for people who want less space or who want to live
in a more communal setting. Such options can vary greatly in cost depending on size and the
amenities offered.

Convenience-
For people who move to an independent living community, one of the biggest pluses is
convenience. While you are living independently, many of the everyday issues of owning a
property are taken care of for you. You don’t have to worry about mowing your yard or shoveling
show or trimming trees. All of that is included in a monthly fee you will pay. In many
communities, the fee you pay includes maintenance on your home as well, so if you have siding
that’s falling apart or broken gutters, it will be taken care of for you. Many independent living
communities also include many of the costs, such as utilities in the monthly payments.

Social Opportunities-
One of the biggest worries among family members of seniors is that once they retire, they won’t
have enough to keep them busy, especially if they move to a new city or neighborhood where
they don’t know anyone. That’s one of the biggest advantages of moving to an independent
living community: a wealth of social activities.

Nearly every independent living community has organized social activities, planned either by a
paid staff or by volunteers. These can include dances, movie nights, card games, field trips and
any other number of activities. With studies showing that engaged seniors live longer and
remain in good health longer, the opportunity for social activities is huge plus when it comes to
independent living.

Ability to transition to assisted living-


With people living longer these days and many people living with chronic health conditions,
more and more retirement communities are offering what’s called the continuum of care. That
means they build their communities with a combination of independent living, assisted living and
skilled nursing care. People who start out in independent living in such communities may be
able to sign a contract that allows them the opportunity to transition to higher levels of care as
the need arises. That can provide a large level of peace of mind for the retirees and their
families.

Stress of Leaving Home-


For some people, leaving the home they’ve spent much of their lives in is an exciting adventure.
But for many people, leaving home and moving to an independent living facility can be very
stressful. In addition to the stress of moving to a new, unfamiliar place, there also could be
financial stresses depending on how the sale of a home went.

Lack of On-Site Medical Care-


For seniors who have serious health issues, independent living may not be the best idea. If the
community is strictly independent living and doesn’t have assisted living or skilled nursing care
on site, then there likely won’t be medical care available, which can be an issue for seniors with
health problems.

Cost-
Independent living costs more than simply living on your own because of the extras and
conveniences you receive. You often pay more to live in an independent living community than
you would to own a similar house or condo because the amenities you get, such as social
activities and a maintenance-free home, cost money to provide. For retirees who aren’t wealthy,
this can put a strain on finances and could present a financial problem if one spouse or both
lives longer than expected.

Overall, independent living for retirees or seniors stage has many pluses and minuses, and
whether it’s the right choice for a certain retired person or couple largely depends on
circumstances and financial means. Consulting with a Senior Living Placement Specialist can
help pull together all the factors that will affect the decision and answer all the questions about
what you can expect in the way of services and cost.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy