Stages of Family Growth Lifecycle
(courtesy of
National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers)
A useful aide-memoir
to any church wanting to do something for the family - let
us know if you have something to add to this...
|
| Stage |
Reward |
Challenge |
Spiritual Task |
Parish/Diocesan
Resources |
Examples |
| Courtship &
Marriage |
- Couple time
- Romance
- Freedom
- Intimacy/belonging
|
- Emancipation
from family of origin
- Adjustment to
living together: sex, marital chastity, money,
lifestyle, friends, work, religion
|
- Develop
couple spirituality - entering the 'covenant'
relationship
- Discuss,
detect faith differences
- Finding or
forming 'church'
|
- Annual
renewal of marriage vows, retreats
- Marriage
enrichment programmes
- Marriage
preparation programmes
- Young
marrieds programme
- Interfaith
marriage ministry
- Second
marriage preparation
- Natural
family planning
|
Couple Alive Marriage Care
Association of
Interfaith Families
|
| First child in
home |
- Generativity
- Joy in
watching child develop
- Enriched
identity as a family
|
- Less couple
time
- Less personal
freedom
- New roles
- Develop new
relationship to extended family
|
- Expand to
family spirituality
- Develop
religious traditions/rituals
- Re-evaluate
church membership
- Awareness of
vocation of parenting
|
- Marriage
enrichment
- Baptismal preparation
programme
- Baptismal
follow-up and support groups
- Family prayer
materials
- Media
awareness Training
- Values
education (peace & justice)
- Parish
parenting programme/network
- Christian
sexuality materials/media
|
Couple Alive Elizabeth Ministry
From
Pram to Primary School Parenting Programme
|
| Last child enters
school |
- Shared
responsibility in the home
- Mother's
world expands
- Joy in
watching child develop
|
- School and
outside activities pull family apart
- Responsibility
of being primary religion and sex educators
- Adults
dealing with mid-life issues, perhaps addictions
or family of origin issues
|
- Pass on faith
to children through
traditions/rituals/prayers/stories
- Plug into
larger church community for support
- Relational
spirituality of home (spiritual/corporal works of
mercy)
- Family as 'servant' community
- Making peace
with family of origin
|
- Marriage
enrichment
- Ministry to
hurting marriages
- Divorce
ministry
- Single-parent
network
- Parenting
classes
- Family Prayer
materials
- Media
Awareness Training
- Values
Education (peace & justice
- Christian
Sexuality Materials/Media
- Family
retreats
- Education in
Family as 'vocation'
- Ministry for
Children with losses
|
Couple Alive Marriage Care
Teams of Our Lady
ASDC
Beginning
Experience
5-15 Parenting
Programme
Rainbows for all
Gods Children
Catholic People's
Weeks
|
| Adolescence |
- Joy in
watching child develop
- Beginning of
new kind of relationships in family
- Increasing
independence and competence in children
|
- Challenge to parental
authority (negotiating)
- "Middle-escence"
meets adolescence
- Less time with extended
family
- Continued mid-life challenge
in marriage relationship and with extended family
|
- Letting go of children while
maintaining family unity and values
- Co-operation with larger
church for adolescent faith development programmes
- New forms of family prayer
and recreation
|
- Marriage Enrichment
- Ministry to hurting
marriages
- Parenting teens material
- Drug, alcohol, sex education
support groups
- Youth ministry
- Ministry to teens with
losses
- Media awareness training
- Parish parents support
systems
|
Couple
Alive
Parenting
Teenagers programme
Rainbows for all Gods Children
|
| Letting go |
- Friendship with
children
- Entry of caretakers into new
arenas (career, volunteer)
- More time with spouse,
friends
|
- Renegotiating couple
relationship
- Caring for own parents
- Extra financial burdens
- Breaking continuity of
family
|
- Letting go, "healing
the dream"
- Redefining spirituality of
couple
|
- Bereavement ministry
- Marriage Enrichments
- Ministry to struggling
marriages
- Support for people caring
for ageing parents
- Support for dealing with
mid-life issues
- Support for widowed,
separated and divorced
|
Bereavement support
groups
Couple
Alive
Marriage Care
ASDC
|
| Empty Nest |
- Freedom: finances and time
- Children settling in
- Grandchildren
- Back to "coupleness"
|
- Loneliness
- Children returning home
- letting go- pain of loss
(evaluating self as parent)
|
- Emphasise personal
spirituality
- Exploring new opportunities
- Wisdom, acceptance, trust
|
- Marriage Enrichment
- Support for Struggling
marriages
- Support for Widowed,
Separated, Divorced
- Celebration of Ageing Church
members
- Retirement Groups
|
Couple
Alive
Marriage Care
ASDC
Beginning Experience
|
| Ageing |
- Fulfilment in Life
- Decrease in tasks, free time
- New relationship with
widow/ers,
friends
- Grandchildren
|
- Loss of energy, work,
identity, health, spouse and friends
|
- Acceptance
- Preparing for eternity
- Emphasise personal
spirituality
- Wisdom, acceptance, trust
|
- Bereavement ministry
- Outreach to housebound
elderly
- Like-to-like social group
for elderly
- Reminiscence opportunities
for older church ministries
|
Bereavement support
groups |