Pages

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Theories in Families

The family can be looked at many ways but there are only four theories through which it is looked upon.

System Theory - focuses on the social aspect of the family and its interdependent members who maintain order.

Exchange Theory - views the family's interactions as a cost-benefit analysis wherein the members try to keep their individual costs lower than that of their rewards.

Symbolic Interaction Theory - everything that someone does can be interpreted differently by each and every member of the family. Each member of the family is different and has been shaped and influenced slightly differently then the other members and so sees every action in a different set of eyes. 

Conflict Theory - it is known that all people are different and not all people agree upon all topics. this theory focuses on the observance that  in contradictory interests and inequalities, the families result in conflict and change.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

World's Trends for Families

Trends are changing, the world's ways are threatening marriage and families more now than any other time.

  • Premarital Sex - "9th grade, 34.3%; 10th grade, 42.8%; 11th grade, 51.4%; and 12th grade 63.1%".  (2007 Statistics) 
  • Births to Unmarried Women - in 2006, over 1,600,000 babies were born to unmarried mothers. "614,000 White; 436,000 Black; 39,000 Asian; and 518,000 Hispanic"
  • Living Alone -  the number of people who live alone is increasing every year. "In 2006 30.5 million Americans lived alone." Whether this is by choice, or by circumstance is undefined.
  • Cohabitation - cohabitation is increasingly common amongst Americans. "In 2005, nearly 6 million unmarried couples, including 777,000 same-sex couples, were living together. This represents a dramatic increase over the 430,000 reported in 1960."
  • Delayed Marriage -people are waiting longer and longer to get married, women especially. "Between 1950 and 1970, half of the females who were married did so by the time they were 20.5 years old and half of the males who did so by the time they were 22.5 years old. ... By 2005, the figures were about 26 for females and 27 for males" A large jump for only 50-30 years.
  • Birth Rates - more woman are waiting to have children, this is causing fewer children to be born. "In 2005, the rate was 14.0 births for 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 years, a little more than half of what is was in 1954 and less than half of what is was in 1910." 
  • Household Size - Family sizes are shrinking, "in 1790, the average household contained 5.8 people. By 1960, the average was 3.3 people and by 2006 the figure was 2.57." 
  • Employed Mothers - More and more women are taking up work instead of focusing on their most important job, raising a healthy family. "Married women (who have a husband in the home) who are employed increased from 23.8 percent in 1950 to 60.2 percent in 2005."
  • Divorce - divorce rates have gone up and down with every decade, but as of now seem to be about level with those of the early 70's. Divorce is a tragic event, one that causes my wounds that never fully heal. Be careful who you marry, for once you do, you can not take it back without a punishment.

These numbers have steadily raised and will continue to rise, unless we as parents of the future generation can do something about it.  Be an example for your current and/or future family, stop the trends of the world starting with your family and keep the family and its values tight.
(all quotes found on pages 10-13 in Marriage & Family by Robert H. Lauer and Jeanette C. Lauer)

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Before the "I do's"

A method to learning that has found to be extremely useful in both studying and life is called the Learning Model.
The Learning Model has three steps: Prepare, Teach One Another, and Ponder/Prove.  
These steps are crucial.  
Step 1. Prepare. Marriage is not something people can just jump into and expect everything to work out perfectly. A couple planning on being married needs to prepare mentally and emotionally. This can be done by study and through conversation. Get to understand the other person's needs and desires so you might be able to meet them.
Step 2. Teach One Another. Marriage is a partnership, there needs to be communication on all levels. If there is something either your or your partner needs help with, ask and together you find a solution. Plus, you need to share information as to how to solve an issue.
Step 3. Ponder/Prove. The final step is implementing all that you have learned and proving it to be true. This step is often the hardest, everything is simpler in method than practice. However, this step is key to starting off a relationship right.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Marriage and Family

This blog is dedicated to the strengthening of Marriage and Family and keeping the family tight.
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children
and the heart of the children to their fathers," 
(Malachi 4:6)