Canadian Family Dynamics and Developmental Periods

The Concept of 'Periods of Development' is Arbitrary

• The concept of 'periods of development' is based on social constructs.
• There are cross-cultural variations and similarities in how childhood is defined.
• Childhood is defined based on chronological age, level of maturity, physical maturation, and economic dependency.

The Changing Landscape of Canadian Families

• The traditional nuclear family (father, mother, and children) is declining in prevalence.
• There is an increase in blended families, same-sex families, transgender families, common-law couples, and lone-parent families.
• Satellite families (satellite children) have emerged in the 1980s, describing families with members living separately across borders due to economic opportunities.

Historical Evolution of Canadian Families

• Modernization has impacted family structures, accelerated by transportation and communication advances.
• Chain migration in the early 20th century led to the emergence of new Canadian families primarily from Europe.
• Traditional family functions, like childcare and education, were increasingly taken over by institutions like the church, charities, and later, the state.
• High infant and maternal mortality rates negatively affected families.
• Canadian immigration policy was historically racially exclusive, excluding families from countries outside of Western Europe and the US.

Families in the 20th Century: Key Trends

• Canada's Century (the century of the child): Childhood became a special life-stage associated with play, education, and character development, rather than work and wages.
• Divorce was difficult for women and highly stigmatized.
• Single-parent and blended households were primarily the result of the spouse's death, not divorce.
• Women gained access to paid employment, higher education, and involvement in female organizations, increasing their public presence.
• The First World War accelerated women's entry into paid labor and their public involvement.
• The Canadian Council on Child and Family Welfare was created in 1920.
• The 1921 census showed a higher proportion of married Canadians than ever before.
• A decline in the birth rate between 1921 and 1931 indicated the spread of birth control despite its illegality.
• Demographic changes: longer life expectancy, smaller family size, and longer marriages.
• The Great Depression negatively impacted family welfare programs.
• The Family Allowance Act (1944) aimed to provide financial support to families with children, particularly during and after WWII.

Families at Mid-Century

• The post-WWII Reconstruction period saw renewed focus on the family.
• A rise in divorce rates followed the return of veterans from the war.
• Post-war economic prosperity led to an increase in birth rates (the Baby Boom).
• The generation gap between youth and their elders emerged, embodied in the "hippie ethic" challenging social norms and embracing open marriage and communal living.
• This era saw advances in the status of women, with higher-paid work opportunities, increased life expectancy, and the 1968 Divorce Act making divorce easier.
• There was an influx of married women and mothers into the labor force.

Families at the Millennium: Changes and Challenges

• Declining fertility rates and an increase in "childless by choice" relationships.
• Increased life expectancy meaning a smaller portion of life is dedicated to childcare.
• Higher percentage of working mothers in the paid labor force.
• State-supported parental leave in the 1990s helped accommodate families with working parents.
• Legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005.
• Declining percentage of married-couple families.
• Increase in the percentage of common-law couples.
• The male breadwinner family model is becoming the minority.

Intensive Parenting: Its Impact on Families

• Intensive parenting, based on the assumption of ample time, money, and support for children, is primarily a middle-class ideal.
• It emphasizes close parental involvement, expert advice, and risk-management.
• Less privileged families may struggle to meet the expectations of intensive parenting.
• Concerns have arisen about the potential for over-parenting to lead to a generation of over-scheduled children without resilience.
• The need for balance between under-parenting and over-parenting is crucial.

Parenting Styles and Their Impact

• Authoritarian parenting: focuses on control and rules.
• Authoritative parenting: involves rational discussions and guidance. Authoritative parenting has been shown to positively impact children.
• Permissive parenting: allows children to largely follow their own impulses.

Newer Parenting Styles

• Attachment parenting: emphasizes close physical contact, breastfeeding on demand, and co-sleeping.
• Helicopter parenting: involves constant support and intervention in adult children's lives, potentially negatively impacting their well-being.

Conclusion: Diversity and Complexity in Canadian Families

• Canadian families are characterized by diversity and change.
• Definitions of family continue to evolve, reflecting shifting social attitudes, economic trends, and legal and policy changes.
• Theoretical and research approaches need to adapt to these evolving family dynamics.