DEVELOPMENTAL TASK IN THE FAMILY STAGE 1: MARRIAGE During the first stage of family development, members work to establish

a mutually satisfying relationship, learn to relate well to their families of orientation, and if applicable, engage in reproductive life planning. Establishing a mutually satisfying relationship includes merging the values that the couple brings into the relationship from their families of orientation. This includes not only adjusting to each other in terms of routine but also sexual and economic aspects. STAGE 2: EARLY CHILDBEARING The birth or adoption of a first baby is usually both an exciting and a stressful event because it requires both economic and social role changes. It is a further developmental step for a family to change from being able to care for a well-baby to being able to care for an ill one. One way of determining whether a parent has made this change is to ask what the new parent has tried to do to solve a childrearing or health problem. Parents who have difficulty with this step need a great deal of support and counseling from health care providers to be able to care for an ill child at home or to manage a difficult pregnancy. STAGE 3: FAMILY WITH A PRESCHOOL CHILD (3-6 YEARS OLD) A family with preschool children is a busy family because children at this age demand a great deal of time. The children s imagination is at such a peak that safety considerations such as avoiding unintentional injuries become a major health concern. The main task in this stage is to ensure safety for the preschool. STAGE 4: FAMILY WITH A SCHOOL-AGE CHILD Parents of school-age children have the important responsibility of preparing their children to function in a complex world while at the same time maintaining their own satisfying marriage relationship. That makes a tiring time for many families. Family support systems seem strong but also can be deceptive: family members may be physically present but provide little or no emotional support if internal tension exists. STAGE 5: FAMILY WITH AN ADOLESCENT The primary goal for a family with a teenager differs considerably from the goal of the family in previous stages which was to strengthen family ties and maintain family unity. Now the family must loosen family ties to allow adolescents more freedom and prepare them for life on their own. As technology advances at a rapid rate, the gap between generations increases. Life when the parents were young was very different from what it is for their teenagers. STAGE 6: LAUNCHING STAGE FAMILY: FAMILY WITH A YOUNG ADULT

The stage at which children leave to establish their own households is the most difficult because it appears to represent the breaking up of the family. Parental roles change from those of mother or father to once-removed support people or guideposts. The stage may represent a loss of self-esteem for parents, who feel themselves being replaced by other people in their children s life. They may feel old for the first time and less able to cope with responsibilities. STAGE 7: FAMILY OF MIDDLE YEARS When a family returns to a two-part unit, as it was before childbearing, the partners may view this stage either as the prime time of their lives (an opportunity to travel, economic independence and time to spend on hobbies) or as a period of gradual decline (lacking the constant activity and stimulation of children in the home, finding life boring without them or experiencing an empty nest syndrome). Because the family has return to a two-part union, support people may not be as plentiful as they were. Having children return home to live after college or a failed relationship can create a sandwich family or parents who are squeezed into taking care of both their aging parents and these returning to young adults. STAGE 8: FAMILY IN RETIREMENT OR OLDER AGE Although families at this stage are not having children, they remain important because they can offer a great deal of support and advice to young adults who are just beginning their families. Many grandparents care for their grandchildren while parents are at work. This can be a strain on older adults as they struggle to meet young children s needs in relation to both energy level and finances needed.