Marriage and Family Major Test 2

Marital Success

(quality) measured in terms of stability, happiness, and flexibility Top five people consider "very important" - shared interests satisfying sex sharing household chores shared religious beliefs having children

Conflict views on remarriage

- A merging of families may result in role ambiguity, role anomie, and possible status degradation - possible creation of social problems regarding sexual boundaries - may create conflicts regarding economic demands imposed by the need to provide financial support of 2 families. - may create legal conflicts between spouses and children of different biological families

Methods that do NOT prevent Pregnancy ("Contraceptive methods that don't usually work")

- No method at all - Breastfeeding - about 80 percent of women ovulate before their menstrual periods return following childbirth - Douching - the practice of rinsing out the vagina with a chemical solution right after sex

Five categories of Contraception

1. sterilization - Nonsurgical and surgical - interruption of a person's reproductive capacity for people who want a permanent method of birth control 2. Intrauterine Contraception - a t-shaped device is inserted in the uterus and can last for up to 12 years. 3. Hormonal methods - chemicals prevent ovulation or implantation of a fertilized egg. Includes depo-provera shot, skin patch, or pills - Emergency contraception - protects a woman from getting pregnant after having unprotected sex, NOT a Primary method of birth control 4. Barrier methods - devices that put physical barriers between egg and sperm, condoms, and diaphragms are included 5. Fertility awareness-based methods - gauging times for periodic abstinence ex: calendar method, BBT method, cervical mucus method, and withdrawal

A marriage focused on equality and friendships are called a ____________ marriage. A. romantic B. rescue C. companionate D. traditional

C. companionate

According to the text, which of the following is a positive reason for marriage? A. economic security B. physical attractiveness C. companionship D. pregnancy

C. companionship

Which of the following is noted in the text as an expectation of marriage? A. couples will share finances B. couples will have children C. Couples are making a legal commitment D. Couples can easily dissolve the marriage

C. couples are making a legal commitment

Out of the following characteristics, which ranked the lowest as a factor for a couple's marital happiness? A. faithfulness B. adequate income C. having children D. sharing household chores

C. having children

Shanice and Tyrone are black and grew up together in the same neighborhood. Their marriage is likely to be very strong because it is ______________. A. monogamous B. intrinsic C. homogamous D. congenial

C. homogamous

Which of the following is the anti-marriage of a traditional marriage? A. the couple is so involved with each other that they neglect their children B. the couple only focuses on past conflicts. C. The couple can become too involved with their family and parent roles, that they neglect the relationship. D. The couple can become too involved in their careers.

C. the couple can become too involved with their family and parent roles, that they neglect their relationship

Which of the following is an intrinsic marriage? A. congenial B. habituated C. total D. revitalized

C. total

Middle-age phase (3rd phase)

Empty nest syndrome- the feeling of depression after children have moved out Improved marital satisfaction after children leave May vary by culture and gender Causes of less marital satisfaction include children returning home multiple times, children returning to home in which parents are remarried, and if the parents are in poor health worries and stress may decrease around age 60

Domestic work and child care: equity and equality

Equity refers to partners giving in proportion to what they take Equality means fully equal status and responsibility 3 matters - assignment of responsibilities -agreement on the schedule - the setting of standards

Aging Phase (4th phase)

Factors to think about: nearing retirement Caregiving responsibilities Change in interactions between the couple One spouse outlives the other

Similar Backgrounds

Homogamous marriages are between partners of similar education, ethnicity, race, religion, age, and social class In heterogamous marriages, partners differ in those areas.

Economic status, work, and 2 paycheck couples (success?)

both working negatives - resentment, frustration, high demands -guilt of not being full-time parents Both working positives -income -Childcare and domestic help

Contraception

concerns about preventing pregnancy are linked with protection from STDs the primary method tends to be condoms Abstinence - No evidence abstinence-only programs encourage abstinence, just as likely to have sex as other students

Being a stepchild

feelings of abandonment - kids feel guilty, depressed, anxious, angry, and withdrawn. Parents should spend time impressing on the kids that the divorce was not their fault and that they are loved equally by both parents. Conflicts divided loyalties - parent alienation syndrome - divorce-related malicious mother syndrome - discipline - stepsibling rivalry

More than one child

reasons - sibling companion - Insurance in case something happens to the first one - different genders every child added to the family changes the dynamic

Abandonment

safe haven laws allow a person to leave an unwanted newborn at a designated place without fear of persecution - hospital ER, fire station, another place Neonaticide - murdering of infants within 24 hours of their birth Arguments - may induce abandonment rather than counseling for women, may deprive biological rights to care for offspring, unknown laws

Effects of divorce

- often has unintended consequences Divorce hangover occurs when they are unable to let go of the fact of their divorce, reorient themselves as single parents, or develop new friendships Separation distress- psychological state following a separation, and may feature intense loneliness More divorced people are depressed or suicidal than married people Loneliness and feelings of being stigmatized - parents, siblings, ex-partner's family, and even friends may make you feel disgraced. Stress After the death of a spouse or child, divorce is the most stress-producing event in one's life. Health problems - higher rates of heart or lung disease, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, and mobility issues. Higher rates of alcoholism, mental illness, accidents, and suicide Positive effects are likely for young, highly-educated women in short-lived marriages and those with good support systems Interaction with the ex varies a great deal, but occurs more often when there are children from the marriage

Structural - functional views on remarriage

- reuniting families creates stability in society - reaffirms the social benefits of the institution of marriage and family - creates potential economic benefits and stability - family stability impacts societal stability and positively impacts educational and criminal justice social institutions

Symbolic interactionism views on remarriage

- the creation of blended families provides new meaning to marriage and family - the meaning and acceptance of blended families change over time and vary by subcultures - views on separation and divorce change based on a person's involvement with blended families

helping kids adjust to divorce

-tell them about the divorce -understand that children feel guilty about the separation and hope for a reunion -recognize the child's strong emotions -Don't put the child in the middle, and be clear about family boundaries -parents should attend to their own anger and guilt

Treating infertility: Assisted reproductive technology

1. Artificial insemination - (AIH and AID) - sperm are collected from the male partner by masturbation; a microscope aids in the selection of sperm cells for injection directly into the vagina or uterus (AIH - by husband, AID - by donor) 2. Fertility enhancing drugs: Ovulating-stimulating hormones - drugs stimulate hormones to produce eggs, and this commonly results in multiple births; however, babies can be premature and at risk for many problems 3. In-vitro fertilization is when an egg and sperm are taken from the parents and kept in a lab setting until the mother's uterus is hormonally ready, at which time the egg is implanted in the wall of the uterus 4. Intrafallopian transfer: (GIFT and ZIFT) Gamete intrafallopian transfer - woman's egg and sperm are collected and united inside fallopian tubes (GIFT) Zygote intrafallopian transfer - woman's egg and sperm are collected and placed in a lab dish one day after fertilization, the zygote is placed in the fallopian tubes. 5. Embryo transfer - sperm of a male with an infertile female partner is places in another fertile woman's uterus during ovulation; five days later, it is implanted in the infertile woman 6. Surrogate mothers or gestational carriers are consenting women who are artificially inseminated with the sperm of a male partner of a woman who is infertile. She will carry the child through pregnancy and give the newborn to the couple with whom she contracted, usually for a fee.

Stepfamily benefits

1. Families are happier - mothers/wives may be calmer with fewer crises - from the child's POV, when his or her mother remarries, the new intact partnership can improve the mother-child relationship 2. children gain role models - may be better than the conflict-ridden nuclear family A child might now have as many as 4 parental role models 3. Parents may be more objective - Since there were many adjustments during the process, parents may be more open to objective discussions 4. Children gain more siblings and kin - may offer more support - Children who move into a stepfamily may also gain an extended kinship network of assorted grandparents and other relatives, who may be able to provide love and security as well. 5. Children become more flexible - may learn negotiation skills and work out differences -exposed to new ideas, alternative political views, different values, and even different interests - they may become more adaptable in their adult relationships

What influences people to have kids?

1. General trends in family size a. fertility - both ability to reproduce biologically and a person's actual reproductive performance b. Fertility rates number of births per year per 1000 women of childbearing age 2. Race, ethnicity, and religion - fertility rates vary for different groups (Hispanics have the highest and whites have the lowest) 3. Education and income status a. Women with high school degrees have the highest birth rates b. lowest rates among high-income women

Characteristics of stepfamilies

1. Most stepfamily members have suffered some sort of loss 2. Blended families have a more complex structure 3. Family boundaries are uncertain Retention - both my biological parents but not my stepparent, who is just not related Augmentation - "both my biological parents and any stepparents" Reduction - the biological parent I'm living with but not the stepparent and/or not the nonresidential biological parent Substitution - one biological parent and not the other; it also includes my stepparent, although he/she doesn't completely replace my other missing biological parent 4. Roles are ill-defined so there may be more tension 5. with different loyalties, family integration comes slowly

Types of partners finding out they are pregnant

1. Planner partners - couples who planned to have kids look forward to having a committed relationship with their children as they grow up Acceptance of fate partners - they will not actively discuss or plan to have children, and the announcement of pregnancy may come as a pleasant surprise Ambivalent partners - didn't plan to have a baby and are shocked when they receive the news Yes-no partners - one partner wants the child, and the other does not, the pregnancy or birth can lead to separation or divorce.

The process of divorce: 6 stations of divorce

1. The legal divorce "I wanted out, but I miss what we once had, and why is the legal system so difficult" Court-ordered termination of a marriage is a legal divorce - ambivalence and grieving - adversarial aggravation The economic divorce "I am afraid I won't have enough to live on, and I dread losing things I have become attached to" Economic divorce involves the settlement of a property -threat of declining living standards = disputes over who gets what - loss of favorite things The Co-parental divorce "he/she can't take my children" The co-parental divorce involves decisions about child custody, support, visitation, and ongoing responsibilities of each parent. The community divorce "So long Inlaws, good-bye common friends" In the community divorce each partner reduces or leaves membership in common communities of relatives or friends. Relatives of divorce: relations with relatives from the marriage , or friends from the marriage The psychic divorce "Now, finally I don't care about them anymore, I am my own person" A psychic divorce follows a period of mourning; separation from your partner emotionally while you are free from their influence - Denial, anger, depression, acceptance, and forgiveness

Child Custody

4 types Sole custody - children live with one parent who is solely responsible for raising them; the other parent has legal visitation rights Joint Custody - children divide themselves between both parents a. joint legal custody b. joint physical custody - Birdnesting, is when children stay in home and the parents alternate staying with them Split Custody - Only about 2% of cases; it may harm sibling attachments - children are divided between parents - split custody can have adverse effects on sibling attachments to one another Third-party Custody - children live with someone other than a parent, such as a trusted guardian or adult. Virtual Visitation - videoconferencing, webcams, or another tech through which a noncustodial parent can visit their children

One child

47% of families are single child Only children tend to have more self confidence, self reliance, higher IQs, verbal skills, and better grades

Infertility

6 percent of married women in the age range for fertility are unable to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex the average woman's ability to get pregnant starts to slow down as early as 30. Infertility - the failure to conceive after one year of regular unprotected sex, or the inability to carry to term Sterility - the total inability to conceive Causes: not enough sex, too much sex, sex at the wrong times of the month, use of vaginal lubricants, and health problems. Causes of infertility in males - low-quality sperm - blockage - erection or ejaculation problems Causes of infertility in females - age -failure to ovulate - blockage - abnormalities of the uterus like endometriosis, which is where the cells of the inner lining of the uterus grow in the pelvic and abdominal cavities - inhospitable environment for sperm (immune or chemical response)

Being a stepfather

A childless man marries a woman with kids -75% of children in blended families have lived with a stepfather, and 14 have lived with a stepmother Stepfather must cope with established relationships and routines A man with children marries a childless woman - may feel guilty about not being a full-time dad and will play "Disneyland dad" may expect the new wife to engage in raising his children Man with kids marries woman with kids - can significantly lower satisfaction in comparison to only children from one partner - competition with the influence of the stepchildren's biological father

Child-rearing phase (2nd phase)

A period of less satisfaction corresponds to the most intense childrearing period but is not necessarily caused by it Changes during the childrearing phase include work and other responsibilities, domestic responsibilities, and sexual changes. The second shift involves the splitting of household and childcare work and is mostly the woman's responsibility - less marital satisfaction

Which of the following statements, according to the text, best applies to the middle phase of marriage? A. some mothers are likely to experience depression after the children have left home B. Marital satisfaction generally decreases C. When adult children return home multiple times, marital satisfaction generally increases. D. The couple receives help with household chores.

A. Some mothers are likely to experience depression after the children have left home.

Which theoretical perspective views marriage as an adaptation to social pressures? A. conflict B. structural-functional C. social interaction D. feminist

A. conflict

In conflict-habituated marriages, couples _________. A.have ongoing tension and disagreement B. always seek to resolve their differences C. have high divorce rates D. have resigned themselves to the relationship

A. have ongoing tension and disagreements

Melissa and Rob's marital satisfaction is likely to __________ when their children leave home. A. increase B. decrease C. stay the same D. increase initially then decline

A. increase

A postnuptial agreement ________________. A. is worked out between partners who have already married each other B. requires partners to seek religious counseling for divorce C. prohibits both partners from accepting an inheritance D. is determined before they commit to marriage

A. is worked out with partners who have already married one another

Thomas, the first born of 4 children is getting married and leaving the home. According to Duvall and Miller, his family is in the ___________ phase of childrearing.

A. marriage B. empty nest C. launching D. middle age

A type of marriage in which the couple focuses on activities rather than emotion is ____________. A. passive-congenial B. conflict-habituated C. devitalized D. vital

A. passive-congenial

Abortions

Abortion- the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus Spontaneous abortion- a miscarriage that occurs within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy Induced (selective) abortion - the decision to purposefully terminate a pregnancy Physiological health - grief for the loss of a pregnancy, resentment/anger if the mother is denied an abortion (aimed at the baby who is normally given up for adoption), relief if the pregnancy was unwanted Moral Issues Roe v Wade - more recently, more states have been putting new limits on coverage and physicians in an effort to ban abortions

Postponing kids

Advantage - couples can finish educations, get careers, and have time to build relationships and resources Disadvantages - heavy career demands at the time, fertility diminishes with age

With regard to marriage, permanence means that ____________. A. each partner promises to have sexual relations with only the other B. partners promise to stay together for the duration of their lives C. a legal, controlled commitment made by partners D. Partners promise to stay together as long as the both love each other

B. Partners promise to stay together for the duration of their lives

Alice and Heidi are a couple who started out intimate but now remain together largely out of a sense of duty; their marriage is ______________. A. conflict-habituated B. devitalized C. passive-congenial D. intrinsic

B. devitalized

According to the text, marriages that allow partners to change over time are __________. A. acquiescent B. flexible C. equitable D. resillient

B. flexible

In intrinsic marriages, partners are more likely to A. be economically well off B. have higher marital satisfaction C. experience conflict and tension D. experience loneliness

B. have higher marital satisfaction

Marriages between partners who are similar in education, ethnic background, and social class are called ___________. A. heterogamous B. homogamous C. companionate D. egalitarian

B. homogamous

The start of marriage involves A. an increase in partners' independence B. identity bargaining C. less marital satisfaction D. a loss of status

B. identity bargaining

Marital equity is defined as ______________. A. equal status between partners B. partners giving in proportion to what they recieve C. even division of household chores D. both partners having similar-paying jobs

B. partners giving in proportion to what they recieve

Beginning phase of marriage (1st phase)

Beginning phase Identity bargaining - realities of the marriage oblige spouses to adjust their idealized expectations of one another Loss of independence - equality between spouses New friends and relatives - getting to know your partner's family and friends, less time with single friends Career and domestic roles - housewife no longer valid, finances often not a problem due to both partners working - Greatest marital satisfaction supposedly

Being a Stepmother

Being a stepmother - expected to be unnaturally loving towards stepkids, but also viewed as mean, abusive, and vain - particularly difficult to be loved and accepted by stepkids when a stepmother feels excluded from the noncustodial father-child relationship They may be accused of giving special treatment to their own children. if the stepmother is the disciplinarian, she is less likely to have good relationships with the children Problems with the former wife - feeling resentment because her new husband is paying child/spousal support to his ex that amounts to perhaps a third of his income

Cuber and Harroff's research found that only _____ percent of marriages were vital. A. 5 B. 10 C. 15 D. 18

C. 15

Child Support

Child support is the ongoing financial support that the custodial parent receives from the noncustodial parent - not everyone gets child support -payments vary by race/ethnicity and education -many men don't provide child support = Noncustodial parents are more apt to pay when they are involved with their kids Deadbeat dads - fathers who don't meet court-ordered child support responsibilities Child support Enforcement Amendments - requires states to deduct from fathers' paychecks the late support payments Family Support Act - judges may use discretion when support agreements can't be met Children's allowance - government provides child support to all families based on # of kids they have Guaranteed Child support - govt sends the custodial parent the amount of support payments awarded, then must collect from the noncustodial parent

Stages of childrearing

Childbearing family - lasts about 2-2.5 years Family with preschoolers- lasts about 3.5 years Family with school children - 7 years Family with adolescents- about 7 years Family as launching center- about 8 years

The choices: Childfree, postponing children, one child, or many children?

Childfree - voluntary Childless- involuntary (women with advanced degrees are more likely to be childless) Pronatalist bias - cultural attitude that takes having children for granted Little difference in satisfaction between couples with kids and without

What successful marriages have

Commitment to marital permanency - allows each other to trust the other and be secure in the knowledge they will not leave Acceptance and caring - accepting of who the other is, and being able to provide mutual comfort, understanding, and emotional support Flexibility Static marriage- doesn't change over time, allows for change, and relies on the fact that legal bond enforces sexual exclusivity and permanence Flexibility - allows change and growth over time self-expansion assumes individuals form relationships to accumulate knowledge and experiences in order to facilitate their own growth

Four types of ex-spousal relationships

Cooperative colleagues - 38% - moderate contact. strive to get along for the sake of the children, and mutually support each other Fiery foes - 25% - minimal contact. Strive to avoid each other. Bitterness and anger when they do interact. Angry associates -25%- some contact. can tolerate each other, but anger and bitterness prevent pleasant interactions Perfect pals- 12% - frequent contact. Enjoy the other's company. Neither remarried. Put the interest of the children above any anger with each other.

Which of the following characteristics can cause an increase in marital satisfaction in the middle-age years of marriage? a. caring for a spouse's health B. adult children moving in multiple times C. caring for elderly parents D. children leaving the home

D. children leaving the home

Tony and Mariah had always liked each other as friends and decided to get married because they owned a business together. They are in a ______________ marriage. a. devitalized B. economic C. habituated d. passive-congenial

D. passive-congenial

When Julio and Marco decided to get married, they most likely expected ________________. A. economic development B. tolerance and acceptance C. negative pressure from society D. sexual exclusivity and permanence

D. sexual exclusivity and permanence

Co-provider families: Husbands and wives as economic partners

Dual-earner marriages - both married partners are employed outside the home - Most of the growth in family incomes has come from women's rising earnings - 24 percent of married women earn more than their husbands Working women The glass ceiling: an invisible barrier preventing women from being promoted to top executive jobs. The mommy track - offers women flexibility but compels them to surrender ambition - Career-primary women are promoted more frequently and receive higher pay than career and family women. Working mothers the captives- "I'd like to be a homemaker, but I have to work" The conflicted- "if the job conflicts with my family, I'll quit" The copers - "I'll work if the job lets me cope with my family demands" The committed- "I'm committed to my career and my family"

Stages of becoming a blended family

Early Phase 1. fantasy "i will love the kids, and they will love me" 2. Immersion "I didn't realize there would be so much confusion" 3. Awareness "i think we're beginning to figure out one another" Middle Phase 4. Mobilization "No more Mr. Nice guy, i am taking.a stand for myself" 5. Action "we have begun to make some joint decisions and accept that we're all different Later stages 6. Contact "our relationships with one another have become more easy and honest" 7. resolution "we are all comfortable with one another now"

Costs of raising a child

Opportunity costs - loss of wages and investments that parents sacrifice by devoting their time and energy to childrearing make sure its a choice, not an accident

Financial effects of divorce

Property is divided equally, not equitably In equal-distribution states property acquired by either spouse during their marriage belongs to both Property is divided equitably, not equally In equitable distribution states the court determines the distribution Displaced homemakers are full-time housewives who lose their economic support after divorce or widowhood Spousal support/maintenance refers to court-ordered financial support by a spouse or formal spouse following separation or divorce. Why the Alimony myth endures - ignorance about actual alimony awards - confusion about spousal with child support - media reports about wealthy divorces Rehabilitative alimony - short-term financial payments to help a wife enroll in school to "rehabilitate" her vocational skills Spousal entitlement - nonworking spouse receives "severance pay" for their "investment" in the marriage

Choosing good daycare

Regulated childcare options: childcare centers, family daycare, and group daycare - Visit the daycare center - preferably unannounced and more than once Observe the children's and staff's demeanor - observe whether the environment is adequate and curriculum stimulating Ask what the staff-to-child ratio is. Ask what the rate of staff turnover is. Ask about staff training. Aks about references. Ask

Role ambiguity

Role ambiguity occurs when the expectations are unknown. - perhaps because others don't have information or they deliberately withhold information from you

Role conflict

Role conflict occurs when the expectation of roles are incompatible. - Managers often experience conflicting demands between work and family. - can cause stress-related problems

Balancing work and family

Role disruptions - overload -conflict - ambiguity

Role overload

Role overload occurs when the expectations exceed one's ability to meet them - As one tries to do more and more in less and less time, stress mounts and personal effectiveness slips

4 types of "good marriages" and their built-in "Anti-marriages)

Romantic Marriage - "Our passion will last forever" Ideas of destiny, "ever after", passion and sex Partners preoccupied with each other Rescue Marriage - "We're making up for our past unhappiness" Healing: provides comfort for past suffering and unhappiness Possibility for renewed strife based on earlier abuses Companionate Marriage -"we have a friendly, egalitarian relationship" equality and friendship more time in careers might mean less time for each other Traditional Marriage- "He's the breadwinner, she's the homemaker" Husband is the earner, wife is the homemaker Involvement with roles can interfere with common interests

Effects of divorce on children

Short-term consequences Unwanted split - children resent when parents fight "through" them Guilt, anger, depression, anxiety, withdrawal - the link between divorce rates and suicide rates in children Less social and school competence - more behavioral problems, absences at school Health problems - lower physical health ratings - greater likelihood of eating problems and disorders Long-term consequences wallerstein's pessimistic view - overcoming the effects of divorce means that children must go through a painful struggle Hetherington's more optimistic view - saw increased resilience in 75-80% of children whose parents divorced - Children undergo hardships not experienced by children from intact families - found that half of the children from divorced families felt they had a harder childhood than most people

Commonalities: similar characteristics and interests

Similar temperaments shared interests strong family ties on both sides similar views on children

Remarried and Blended families

Stepism - the attitude of prejudice and discrimination assuming that stepfamilies are inferior to biological families Nuclear-family model monopoly - first marriage family is seen as the legitimate model for how families should be - deems all other forms as deficient

Personal and ethical problems with Assisted Reproductive technology

Surrogacy issues - most states don't have laws about surrogacy, some prohibit it altogether, and some have restrictions on certain types of agreements Reputable lawyers and agencies who specialize in surrogacy try to protect women who serve as surrogates. Privacy issues - what kind of privacy rights do sperm donors have, and how much contact should their offspring be allowed to have with them? Surplus embryo issues - when a couple divorces, what happens to the frozen embryos? Who owns them? Can surplus embryos be put up for adoption, to be used by others? Octomom issues- fewer than 20 percent of clinics follow professional standards as to how many embryos should be implanted in a woman. Egg Donor issues How much should an infertile couple be expected to pay for an egg donor, and does this favor the rich? Questions have been raised about whether the extraction of eggs may jeopardize the donor's fertility. Health issues increased risk of low birth weight and a higher rate of childhood cancer has been found between "test tube babies" and children conceived the traditional way it is unclear whether the difficulties were caused by fertility treatments or the couple's infertility in the first place

Issues about child custody

The fathers' rights movement - urges divorced male parents to have equal treatment in child custody, visitation, and support Father's separation - even when there is no obstruction from a former spouse, fathers experience alienation and role confusion following a divorce Parent Alienation Syndrome - children are preoccupied with seeing one parent as "all good" and the other parent as "all bad" Related Malicious mother syndrome - mother punishes husband by attempting to alienate their mutual children from him Child stealing - one parent kidnaps a child from the other parent Supervised visitation - the presence of a third party during visits

Single working parents

The majority of children living with one parent live with a single mother. Only 4 percent live with fathers - Greatest challenge is the inability to divide income-earning work and household work between 2 people - Single-working parents and dual-wage families frequently have a difficult time finding high-quality daycare for their children

Changing family work patterns

Traditional family arrangement of good provider husband and homemaker wife - exception for men as househusbands -husbands and wives act as economic partners Despite all the economic changes, it seems people are no less psychologically invested in their families than people were in the past

How to handle role disruption

Unmarried women without children, employed full-time, are further along in their careers than married women - put family roles ahead of work roles - be equally committed to work and family roles Strategy 1 - mentally separate work and home roles - Role compartmentalization - separating one's various roles within the mind - doesn't allow worries from one role to disrupt your performance in another - All the worries about jobs and careers that remain in our thoughts while at home 2. Use positive self-talk to replace negative thoughts - Positive self-talk is giving yourself positive messages, and allows you to see a situation in beneficial terms 3. Develop good time-management and task-delegation skills, which means employing management skills not just at the office, but at home as well. - set goals - keep a master calendar - make daily to-do lists 4. Employ customized work arrangements (Parents work alternate shifts) - 46 percent of all women who are married or living with someone work a different schedule than their partners and 51 percent of women work different hours than their husbands Working in alternate shifts leads to fatigue and sleep deprivation, and ahd has a negative effect on spousal relationships. One parent self-employed may provide a better work-life balance - Fewer behavioral problems in children whose parents have control over how, where, and when their work gets done One or both parents use a flexible work schedule - Part-time work is less than 40 hours Flextime is a schedule that gives one choice of working hours The compressed work week is 40 hours in 4 days Job sharing is where coworkers split the same job Telecommuting and other work-at-home schedules 5. Take other forms of time off The Family and Medical Leave act supports newborn or newly adopted children, serious personal illness, and seriously ill family members Take personal time off - have to take personal time for family responsibilities Use sick days for family reasons - More workers are calling in absent because of family issues, stress, and personal needs - Only a third of unscheduled days off are taken due to illness Take children to work - may seem like an act of desperation 6. Scale down your career for a while- wives tend to be the people in the relationship that scale down at work, worries associated with scaling back are reducing expenses and side-tracking their careers. Benefits for children of working mothers - make money for goods and services - greater degree of independence - daughters have greater role models

Five types of enduring marriages

Utilitarian marriages - based on convenience (3) 1. Conflict-habituated marriages are characterized by ongoing tension and unresolved conflict 2. Devitalized marriages - lost strong emotional connection but stay together out of duty 3. Passive-congenial marriage - focuses on activities rather than emotional intimacy Intrinsic Marriages- inherently rewarding unions (2) 1. Vital Marriages- partners intensely bound together psychologically and participate in each others' lives in many areas 2. Total Marriages- Partners intensely bound together psychologically and participate in all areas of each others' lives, and will have very few areas of tension or conflict

Traditional families

two-person single career husband works outside the home and the wife takes care of the domestic tasks for his career In the "good provider" role - "man's work" - the man is the sole economic provider for the family - Other tasks, such as childcare, vacuuming, and washing dishes are perceived as done simply to help out the spouse Homemaker Role - woman's work - women should be responsible for housework, childrearing, and maintaining family ties - tends to be isolating, monotonous, and unending - Less-educated women are more likely to fill this role Mr. Mom is the exception - Men as full-time homemakers - Househusband is a stay-at-home dad who is a full-time homemaker - Fathers who are home with children younger than 18 have doubled - occurring more often due to downsizing at work

Adoption

voluntarily raising the child of other parents as one's own. Public v Private public adoptions are arranged through licensed agencies. Private is arranged between the birth mother and the adoptive parent(s). Closed adoptions mean the birth parents and the adoptive parents do not communicate or know one another's identities. Semi-open means the biological and the adoptive parents exchange information like photos and letters but do not otherwise communicate. Open means both set of parents have more active contact, as in meeting before the birth or lifelong communication. Who adopts? - infertile couples - highly educated - high incomes - wives not working full time Who puts a child up for adoption? - More likely to be a woman in her 20s than a teenager, likely to be a high school or college graduate. Birth mothers are more likely to want periodic contact and suffer grief if they cannot have it. Foster children the principal source of closed adoptions - easiest age range to place is 5 and younger - many teens leave the system without a family to help them out International adoptions (adoption of medicine) - doctors try to assess for prospective parents the risks of children they are considering adopting, which can range from ADD to FASD Hague Adoption Convention - international agreement among 75 countries that ensures intercountry adoptions take place in the best interest of the children and prevent the abduction, exploitation, sale, and trafficking The postadoption blues - a condition ranging from a low mood to a full-fledged plunge into despair experienced by some adoptive parents.

failed fertility treatment

when Fertility treatment fails Identity shock - couples have to re-envision their lives without a biological child It is most difficult for those who are unable to see their self-worth in their lives apart from their ability to produce a child. Women of color are overrepresented among people with infertility. Black women are twice as likely as white women to experience fertility issues.