Family Life Cycle and Diversity

Overview

This lecture covers the stages of the family life cycle, the changing nature of American families, and the diverse forms families take today.

Families, like individuals, go through developmental stages over time, known as the family life cycle.
Typical stages are courtship, marriage, child-rearing, the launching of children, and post-childrearing family life.
Not all families go through every stage, and the order can vary.

Courtship is the period of developing a relationship with the intent to marry or form a long-term partnership.
Some cultures prioritize romantic love in marriage, while others practice arranged marriages for social and economic reasons.
Homogamy (marrying someone with a similar social background) and propinquity (marrying someone nearby) are common.
Marriage rates are declining, with more adults delaying or forgoing marriage.
The stability of marriage often depends on how couples transition from courtship to married life.
Infidelity occurs in about 19% of women and 23% of men, often leading to divorce.

The US divorce rate is about 40–45% for marriages from the 1970s–80s, lower than the assumed 50%.
No Fault divorce laws and increased social acceptance have raised divorce rates in past decades.
Divorce rates have declined since the 1990s due to delayed marriage and selective marriage among certain groups.
Divorce rates are higher among low-income and less-educated Americans.

The average number of children per American mother is 2.4; family size has declined over two centuries.
Children are born both within and outside marriage, with 40% of births to unmarried mothers.
Births outside marriage are more common among less-educated women.
The average age at first birth is now 26 (up from 21 in 1970).
Raising children is costly; middle-class parents spend about $233,000 per child (not including college).

After children leave home, parents may experience "empty nest" syndrome but often remain involved as grandparents.
The "sandwich generation" cares for both their children and aging parents, a role largely taken by women.
Families can include same-sex couples, single parents, blended families, and cohabiting couples.
Single parent families are one-third of all families with children, most led by mothers.
Family structures differ by race and class, with higher single-parent rates among Black children.

Family Life Cycle — the developmental stages a family passes through over time.
Courtship — relationship period aimed at marriage or partnership.
Homogamy — marrying someone with a similar social background.
Propinquity — marrying someone who lives nearby.
Infidelity — cheating on a partner.
No Fault Divorce — legal reason for divorce without proof of wrongdoing.
Sandwich Generation — adults caring for both their children and aging parents.
Blended Family — family with children from previous relationships.