Children Is a Huge Step

¶ … children is a huge step for any couple. They way children are brought into a family and how prepared the couple is to have children can have a huge impact on the way the couple treat each other after the child in question is born. A recent study conducted by Huinink et al. (2011) out of Germany explored how the addition of children impact a family dynamic, and then compared those developments to parents of different age groups. It was interesting to see that there were some clear differences in how an addition of a child impacted the family dynamic based on the three age ranges.

A recent study conducted by the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics explored the changing family dynamics which occur when couples expand their familial groups to include children. The study examined the impact childbearing has on couples of various types and different relationship statuses. The primary issues explored were the impact childbearing has on partner stability on the way the children develop within various relationship structures. The study focused primarily on intergenerational relationships, and how the development of children impacts their older parents, as well as the relationship they have with their parents within a changing family structure. According to the study, 4,000 people were involved in the study, based on three different generational birth rates. Participants born from 1991 to 1993, 1981 to 1983, and 1971 to 1973 were compared to one another in regards to how having children impacted the family dynamics between the parents but also any older children in the family relationship. The researchers wanted to begin categorizing changes in family dynamics based on definitive age ranges of the parents having the children. Any differences between changes of various age groups could show changes in social structure, parenting styles, and other social or cultural factors that differ between people of intergenerational groups.

Parenting is a huge responsibility, and one which changes often based on the nature of the society and culture to which one is a part of. Often times, parenting can be incredibly stressful, and result in changes in a preplanned life course. It can dramatically change the pursuit of a career or life goals, but it can also change the dynamic of the couple who gave birth to the child. The interesting issue here is that the way a family dynamic change because of the birth of a child also is relative to the age group of the parents in question. Younger couples tend to have more stress and struggles ahead of them when introducing a child into their developing family. Thus, parents born in the 1991 to 1993 age range saw much more negative impacts on their relationship because of this additional stress. Younger couples are often less prepared financially and emotionally, which can lead to the relationship between the couple becoming more strained than in other age ranges. On the other hand, older couples, from the 1981-1983 and the 1971-1973 age groupings were much more prepared in regards to their financial and emotional status at the time the child is born. This can result in less negative stress and actually much more positive relationship growth because of a growing love for an increasing family structure. At the older age ranges, parents are more prepared to fill their roles because that is one that is more accepted of society, whereas younger parents are still expected to be career driven or more selfish in regards to enjoying their own live before branching out and creating new ones. Thus, there are clear differences in how a child changes a family dynamic based on the age of the parents expecting.