Question

Families go through a phase when the first child leaves the house as a young adult and ends when the last child leaves home for a life of his own. This stage of the Family Life cycle would be:

• A. The expanding family
• B. The contracting family
• C. The beginning family
• D. The establishing family

Hint:

Family Life Cycle Stages:
Stage 1: Beginning Family (Marriage to 1st birth)
Stage 2: Expanding Family (Child rearing & schooling)
Stage 3: Contracting Family (Children leaving home $\rightarrow$ Launching).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Family Resource Management divides the Family Life Cycle into distinct developmental stages based on family size and resource demands.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In the classic three-stage Family Life Cycle (Bigelow Nickell and Dorsey):
1. Stage I: The Beginning Family: From marriage to birth of the first child (establishing period).
2. Stage II: The Expanding Family: From birth of the first child through children's schooling and college education.
3. Stage III: The Contracting Family (Launching Stage): Begins when the first child leaves home for college, employment, or marriage and ends when the last child leaves home, culminating in the empty nest/retirement phase.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Thus, this stage of the family life cycle is The contracting family, matching option (B).