Have you prepared these very important questions from Unit 11 for IGNOU MSCCFT MCFT001 Exam? Don't miss this chance to score good marks - get started!

Unit 11 Marriage and the Beginning Family

1. Fill in the blanks: 

• The establishment phase or the beginning stage of the family life cycle begins at marriage and continues until child bearing time.
• Culturally most Indians are conditioned and socialised to get into marital bliss.
• The institution of marriage today is definitely affected by modern day changes and globalisation.
• In most cases the power games are played out much more subtly and indirectly
• The couple requires space, power and freedom to build their own subsystem
• Traditionally a husband was expected to play the role of a provider/breadwinner and the head of the family and the role of the wife was that of a homemaker who was responsible for bearing and rearing of children.

2. List some essential qualities of roles and responsibilities during the beginning stage of family life cycle.

Some essential qualities of roles and responsibilities of the beginning stage are: 

• Roles should be complimentary in nature, 
• Role performance should receive adequate and satisfactory response, 
• Flexibility in roles is always beneficial to relationships, 
• Responsibilities should be reciprocal in nature, and 
• Performance of responsibilities needs acknowledgement and rewards

3. Write a note on infertility.

Infertility refers to the biological inability to conceive a child. Infertility may result either due to the dysfunction of the wife or husband but most of the times it is the woman who is blamed. The society victimises and stigmatises her and gives her names like 'barren', 'unfortunate', bringing ill to the family etc. 

Infertility can also be a temporary condition and may respond well with treatment. All the alternatives to solve infertility are most of the times accompanied by personal, marital, medical and legal complications. 

4. What are some of the reasons a couple opts for voluntary childlessness? 

Some reasons for voluntary childlessness are avoiding fmancial costs of child bearing and rearing, avoiding curtailment of wife's career and education, children perceived as interference in marital relationships and one's self indulging life, no interest or disliking children, to escape responsibilities, challenges, demands and anxieties related to child rearing.

5. What is the importance of understanding one's self before getting into marriage?

Understanding one's self is crucial before marriage because it involves identifying one's own values, beliefs, habits, likes and dislikes. It means understanding one's family values and comparing and contrasting with one's partner's values so that there is no conflict. It also allows a person to be clear about their own identity, and to communicate their needs, and expectations to their partner clearly.

6. Discuss the roles and responsibilities of a newly wed couple.

Newly wed couples have roles based on social expectations, each partner conforms to roles they are expected to play. Responsibilities should be reciprocal and balanced so that one partner does not perform all the tasks. Acknowledgement and rewards are important, to maintain a long-lasting relationship. A couple needs to establish patterns for effective communication, conflict resolution, managing finances, and making joint decisions for their new life together.

7. Elaborate on the domains of adjustment in the beginning family stage. 

The beginning family stage requires adjustment in several key domains. These include merging family systems, with values and expectations coming from both partners' backgrounds. It includes adjusting to the new patterns of sharing and adjusting to the new social circles. Couples must negotiate how they will manage finances, daily routines, and socialising. It also includes having to understand and adjust to family expectations and how the couple will maintain their individual roles and their individual identities.

8. Discuss the challenges and emerging issues in the beginning family stage.

Challenges in this stage include communication problems, conflicts over individual roles, lack of financial resources, adjusting to family expectations and issues arising from infertility. Couples may also struggle to balance their individual aspirations and needs with the demands of the new relationship. The source notes that couples in this phase are most vulnerable, and a commitment to make the relationship work is important.

9. Write short note on transitioning to the second stage of family life cycle.

Transitioning to the child-bearing stage involves changes for the couple as they move from the beginning family stage, with new roles, responsibilities, and adjustments that follow the birth of a first child. The transition involves a lot of shifts to family dynamics and roles. It is a time of both joy and stress, which also impacts their individual lives and their relationship.