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Marriage and Family Life: The Middle and LateYears

and self-development.It also recognizes
the powerful impact of the cultural
context of our patriarchal society on
women’s lives—appreciating women’s
relational qualities and activities as
providing potential strengths for growth
and development.(Pietromonaco &
Barrett,2000;Warne & McAndrew,2008)

The Middle Years

Family: Changes in the Middle Years

The longest phase in the family life
cycle is most often connected with the
middle years.In many respects,this phase
also is the most problematic,as it involves
many changes.As noted in chapters 2 and
3,in the past,parents invested most of
their active adult lives to raising their
children.As the human lifespan has
lengthened over the last century,the
middle years now entail a much longer
period of time.Most parents enter the
empty-nest phase well before retirement.
This means empty-nest parents face a long
period of continued career productivity.
Without children in the mix,couples also
develop new activities for themselves
during the middle years.
According to McGoldrick and Carter,
the most significant characteristic of this
period is the number of exits and
entrances of family members (McGoldrick
& Carter,2003).The“launching”of

children many times includes several

reentries and retreats before children are

finally on their own.This period also

involves the introduction of grown

children’s spouses and the transition to

grandparenting.During the middle years,

our own grandparents become ill and die,

and our parents become elderly,requiring

increasing care.This creates additional

stress,primarily for women,who tend to

become the primary caretakers.

Couplesintheirmiddleyearsoftenhave

fewerfinancialstrugglesthaninprevious

lifestages.Thiscanleadtonew

opportunitieswhichwerenotavailable

whentheirresponsibilitiesfocusedon

children.AccordingtoMcGoldrickand

Carter,couplesexperiencethisasasecond

As the human lifespan has lengthened over the

last century, the middle years now entail a

much longer period of time.

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