Family Dynamics Unit 2: Family Decisions and Responsibilities

1. Family Dynamics Unit 2: Family Decisions and Responsibilities

2. Lifestyle Choices • Single • Marriage • Cohabitating

3. Lifestyle Options • You have choices as you decide how you want to live. • These choices will be influenced by: family, friends and career goals. • Your lifestyle will depend on what you want to do with your life. • Your values and goals will help you choose the best lifestyle for you.

4. Choosing the Single Life Number of people living alone is increasing. The causes are: 1. Young people are delaying marriage This could be due to desire to complete educational goals or to establishing a career

5. Choosing the Single Life 2. Social pressure to marry early has decreased & Men and Women are finding they are: • capable of living alone • both may have financial and social independence • may be involved in their careers and find it difficult to commit to a serious relationship • may wish to be very sure before making a lifelong commitment to someone

6. Choosing the Single Life 3. Unexpected events may cause people to live on their own. • death of a spouse • breakup of a marriage These type of changes require an emotional adjustment as well as a change in living styles

7. Choosing the Single Life • a person who chooses to remain single permanently are ones that enjoy the freedom and challenges of single life • able to achieve an enjoyable life with out relying on a spouse • self-esteem is dependent on who they are and not on a marriage partner

8. Choosing the Single Life • Some do not want to have responsibilities of marriage or being a parent • Some may be caring for a parent and find it easier to be single

9. Choosing the Single Life • Challenges to living a single life: 1. could become unemployed, ill, disabled, with no spouse to care for them 2. May not have chosen single life voluntarily, they may feel that they are missing out on a full life

10. Choosing the Single Life Living on your own as an independent adult will help you to learn about: • relationships • work • daily life • likes and dislikes

11. Choosing the Single Life You will have the freedom to make choices about: • Friends • Job • Food • Finances • Leisure activities

12. Choosing the Single Life With independence comes responsibilities: • Taking care of car • Paying bills on time • Doing own laundry • Handle household fix-it jobs • Plan healthy meals • Shopping

13. March 28 Bell Ringer Does marriage mean entrapment or stagnation for the individuals involved? What type of relationship is needed so the spouses feel they can grow as individuals? Entrapment- being “tricked” into marrying Stagnation- in a rut, Stuck in an established routine, not changing or exciting

14. Choosing the Married Life • Relationships among couples living together have changed over the years, but marriage is still a basic lifestyle in our society. • Marriage lifestyle fulfills the basic need for establishing a bonding relationship between couples. • Marriage provides a stable foundation for intimacy and inner security

15. Choosing the Married Life • The legal commitment of marriage does not mean entrapment or stagnation. • The commitment can give individuals the freedom and confidence to grow as an individual and as a couple.

16. Choosing Cohabitation • Combines aspects of single living and marriage • People that choose this lifestyle are legally single, but are emotionally committed to a partner • Breakup rate is twice that of married couples

17. Reasons for Cohabitation • “let’s see” attitude This approach has both strengths and weaknesses: allows for couple freedom to establish a good relationship if they see they cannot get alone they separate Lack of commitment may cause feelings of insecurity Over an extended period of time if one partner wants marriage and the other does not, then the partner who wants marriage has lost years in which a marital partner may have been found.

18. Reasons for cohabitation: • Financial reasons but does not lead to financial security • Legal issues: What constitutes a family? Legally a family must be bonded by either common ancestry or by a marriage contract.

19. Problems unmarried couples face: • Any other form of living together besides marriage is penalized by law. • Social security survivor benefits are denied. • Joint income tax returns cannot be filed • If one partner dies or chooses to end the relationship and walk away the remaining partner has little to no claim on any thing.

20. Problems unmarried couples face: • If the couple has a child, then custody problems arise • The right to interspousal protection is denied. (in a legal case they would have to testify against each other)

21. Lifestyle Consequences • Responsible behavior concerning lifestyle options can lead to positive consequences. • Irresponsible behavior can lead to unplanned consequences that can be negative. Some negative consequences may affect your health, self-esteem, personal relationships, and long term goals.

22. Love & Marriage Quotes Activity • Read over the list of Quotes • PICK 5 quotes • Write the quote • Then under the quote explain what it means • Then under the meaning explain if you agree or not • Then CREATE a love quote of your own. Using computer paper, write your quote on it, explain what it means and decorate/design it. • BE Creative!!!

23. Article & Book Work • Get the Article “Successful Marriage” & Complete the sheet attached to it • Get the Contemporary Living textbook: • Take Notes/Outline Chapter 13 pg 331 • Complete the Review pg 349 • Complete the Reflect pg 351