Sunday 15 July 2012

Family Development Theory

Family Development Theory

The family development theory seeks to explain the different stages that a typical nuclear family passes through. This stage is also known as the family life cycle. It shows how the family develops overtime.
There are eight stages of the family life cycle; the first stage is called the beginning stage. This is also known as the period of establishment at this stage each party might want to disengage themselves from relationships that might compete with the family. Stage two consists of the child bearing family. This is where the couple starts having children and the cycle continues until all the children are gone. This stage is called the contracting stage or the empty nest; however the last child might stay home.
That is the case with my family all the other children now live on his/ her own with the exception of my younger sister who is still at home with mom. If u skip a stage in the cycle this does not prevent you from moving on to the next stage. It is very important to look at how ones family develop as this helps you to understand how and why certain things happen in your family life. My family of orientation is at the expanding stage and will remain at this point for a long period however. It is interesting to note that skipping a stage in the cycle does not prevent you from moving on to the next. This cycle only acknowledge the nuclear family as the ideal family and starts with marriage. My mother was never married to my father however; this does not mean that we are not a family as there are various family forms that presently exist.
             

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