The Family Life Cycle

The concept that most appealed to me from chapter 12 was the family life cycle. Families follow a general pattern of development when going throughout life. The family life cycle is broken up into seven different stages but not all of them apply to everyone. For instance it can be different if a couple has no children or is homosexual. The first stage is establishing a family, in this phase a couple settles into a relationship and works out interaction patterns, expectations, and routines for their life together. The second stage is enlarging a family which includes the addition of children whether it is through conception or adoption. The third stage is developing a family which involves parents raising their children. The fourth stage is encouraging independence and this means to let the children evolve on their own as they go through adolescence. The fifth stage is launching a child which is when children leave home to go to college or live on their own. The sixth stage is post launching of children which is after the departure of children from home when the parents have to redefine their marriage. And finally the seventh stage, retirement which is a time to do what they want with their life.