CHAPTER 7

SHARLA CARMENCITA ELIZABETH

Becoming Parents

Transition Of Parenthood

Approach the decision of divorce more slowly

Major readjustments take place

Parenting is becoming harder

Influenced by:

Benefits of childrenCosts of childrenBroad economic factorsIndividual life-style factorsSocietal normsPolicies

Falling Fertility

Average of two births per woman is referred to as the replacement value

Average # of births per Canadian woman is 1.6

Average age of first child is 29.7 (2004)

Fertility

Baby boom: post WWII , unanticipated rise in birth rate

Why?

Fertility Chart

1921-2007

Page content followsChart 4Births, Canada, 1921 to 2007 Previous

                                                                           

Child Spacing

Low birth weight is highest among children born shortly after the end of their mother’s last pregnancies

1 or 3 year spacing between siblings was more positive or children’s self esteem than a two year spacing

Childless Marriages

All couples --- 7,482,780Married with kids 3,443,775Married without kids 2,662,130Common-law with kids 618,150Common –law without kids 758,715

Births Outside of Marriage

Unwed parenthood is no longer most prevalent among teenagers

More than half of all unmarried mothers now are 25 or over

Unmarried births are highest in QuebecFigure 7.5 in Page 194

Adolescent Pregnancy

Lower in 1994 than in 1974 ( almost as many adolescent pregnancies end in abortion as in live births)

When compared to women in the 20-35 year age group, teen moms are most likely to postpone prenatal care, have children with low birth weights and have higher infant mortality

Question

Do you believe that birth control clinics

should be required to notify parents when

their teenage children have requested

contraceptive or abortion information?

Adoption

Is a process where someone assumes parent responsibility and transfers all legal rights

Infertility is the main reason couples seek to adopt

Decline in children being placed in adoptive homes between 1980 to 1990

See p. 198 figure 7.7

2001 228,590 (total) 2006 215,075 (total)

2 persons 93,710 or 41%3 “ “ 42,200 --- 18%4 “ “ 47,960 --- 21%5 “ “ 28,885 ---12%6 “ “ 11,430 --- 5 %7 & up 4,400 --- 1.9%

Average is 3.3

2 persons 99,580 or 46%

3 “ “37,550 --- 17%4 “ “ 41,850 ---- 19%5” “ 24,445 ---- 11%6 “ “8,035 ------ 3.7%7 & up 3,615 -------

1.7%

Average is 3.2

Family Size

Birth Order and Sibling Relationships

First-borns tend to be intellectual achievers and have high levels of self esteem

Female first- borns tend to be more religious, sexually conservative, traditionally oriented to feminine roles, and associates with adults

Birth Order and Sibling Relationships

Middle born:-lower levels of self- esteem, first and last get recognition, compete for resources with older siblings close in age

Last born:- tend to be more sexually permissive, more likely

to engage in social activities, visit with friends frequently, are high media consumers, and are less traditional

Sex Control

Choosing the sex of the child

Would it create unbalanced sex ratio?

Boys preferred over girls in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Swiss, Belgians, Italians, and Jews and Catholics in U.S

Question

If you had an option, would you choose the sex of your child?