The Family Cycle: The Challenges Of The Family Life Cycle

The family life cycle goes through stages that is important to the development and growth in the cycle. The family cycle experiences independence, intimacy, marriage, parenting, the empty nest syndrome and the retirement stage. The family life cycle in some families is not always easy or runs smoothly; however, in each stage there will be challenges. These challenges allow the family to develop new skills and gain deeper perspectives that will help them to work through all the changes the family will go through. The family cycle will go through a stage of independence, which is considered the stage that is most critical. At this stage the family members will show signs of being able to support themselves financially, emotionally,

The marriage stage in the family life cycles see one joining to another family to form a new family system. Then there is the adjustment stage within the marriage that speaks to some common areas of combining finances, their lifestyles, hobbies, sexual compatibility, and relationship with the in-laws. In the marriage stage the ultimate goal is to achieve interdependence that happens when you are fully able to enter the relationship with another person. The skill you learn from the marriage serves as a foundation to begin building other relationships such as parent – child. (www.google) The parenting stage is the most challenging phase of the family life cycle. This stage is one that will affect your individual development, the identity of your family and your relationship. As new parents your individual identities changes with m how you relate to each other and the extended families. Another development in this parenting stage is the educational system from pre-school to

The retirement stage in the family life cycle experiences a lot of changes. At this stage the family begins to grown as a result of their children getting married and having families of their own. You are still exploring and cruising the seas and having adventures as a retired couple. Some couple experience illness, financial setbacks, and even death. The chances of having illness, chronic or mental increases with age. However, normal aging will bring about its changes of wrinkles, grey hair, and aches and pains, and maybe loss of bone density and a few grandchildren. The best way to deal with this stage is to continue to explore new family and social roles, keep in touch with you own interest and physical activities – swimming, dancing, tennis, and walking. Retired family members that do not have the loving support of their family or are not financially stable, will find this stage a most difficult