So sadly this is my last post for the class, but I hope to continue to write and blog about my views of the family system and unit. After our discussions this last week and Monday I think that after parents become empty nesters, they experience more satisfaction in life. We started of talking about divorce, and the trends associated with people divorcing. Some of those are: custody, cohabiting couples, women are often the ones seeking the divorce, finances, "falling out" of love, communication and perception, and lastly decision making. People don't realize that divorce isn't something that just happens and that people just move on. There are six stations of divorce:
1) emotional 2) legal 3) economic/money 4) co-parental/custody 5) community/division of friends and family and 6) psychic/the mental process of divorce.
Oe outstanding statistic that I was totally surprised at was that 70% of the people that divorce, believe that could have and should have saved their marriage 2 years after the divorce. Don't "Fall in love" but choose to love and give your heart and self to your partner, because it creates a deep passion.  Just remember that you need to go through the lulls and hard times so you can reach the height in the end and enjoy the climax more. One last thing on a more positive note, about your marriage after your children leave home, the love story never ends.
I hope you've enjoyed my blog and opinions, the family is the most important system in our community and it's the one system that is being challenged and torn apart in our society. We must protect it in every way we can. The family is the foundation of our society so don't let it crack and crumble underneath you.

This last week we discussed a lot about parenting. I really enjoyed the lessons and discussions we had because they will be so helpful in the future. But I think that if we approach our children with respect and love instead of anger and frustration when they do something we don't like or that are annoying us that the outcome and effects will be more positive. One thing that I already knew but didn't understand fully was the level of respect that not only our kids should have for us but that we should have for our kids. We want to teach them how to be successful and how to be able to grow up and live in our society by example. Not by someone else telling them how to. They should learn from their parents, and want to learn from them. That's the main role of becoming a parent, to teach them. So, why do so many take it so lightly. In our world today parents are relying more and more on the educational system to teach their children about finances, real life, sex education, and so many other things in life. We as the upcoming generation to parent should take that responsibility for ourselves to nurture and cherish that time we have with our own to show them right from wrong. Parenting is a privilege a blessing and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

After this last weeks readings and assignments I think that stay at home mothers can still learn and grow intellectually while still helping her own children to learn and grow. A woman who chooses to stay home and raise her family can still keep up with things by listening to news broadcasts and by reading. She can listen to uplifting and inspirational music and seminars. Just because you aren't working or going to school doesn't mean your learning just stops. Every person is in charge of how much they want to expand their knowledge and how they want to maintain it. I also realized that a fathers involvement is critical in the upbringing of a child. Fathers parent differently, play differently, build their child's confidence, communicate differently, discipline differently, and most importantly provide a look at the world of men for both their sons and daughters. The family is a sensitive and delicate system that needs that balance between a mother and a father to help nurture their children.