Activity 2-3:
Examining Family Growth




Purpose: To understand the process of family growth and to assess the impact of significant life events on the family and its available supports.

Preparation: For this activity you will need:

Coach Preparation Note: This coaching activity involves two sessions and two homework assignments.

Session 1
  1. Introduce the activity. Tell participants that this activity involves two sessions and examines the development of the family. Review the importance of exploring family growth as presented in the module's background information. Be sure to include the following points:


    • There are several advantages to exploring family growth:

      •  The uniqueness of each family is reinforced;

      •  Family strengths are identified;

      •  Staff recognize the changes of the family over time; and

      • Exploring family growth helps Head Start programs and community partners become aware of and responsive to the challenges of families.

    • The information gathered during the exploration of family growth often provides the foundation for supporting families based on their interests, strengths, goals, and needs-the basis of the family partnership agreement.

  2. Review the definition of family Discuss the meaning of "family" as presented in this module's key concepts and background information.

  3. Describe family growth. State that as families grow they move through five stages of development. Distribute handout 1 and review part 1 of the handout. Use the information on the handout to expand on the material below.


    • The specific path of each family's growth is the result of its composition, culture, and adaption to the challenges of today's world.

    • Families may experience challenges or interruptions in their development, repeat or skip a stage, or be in more than one stage at any given time.

  4. . Discuss the family life cycle. State that the family life cycle depicts the family's growth and development over time; it recaps all the significant life events and important occurrences in a family's life. Explain that significant life events can be seen as either challenges or opportunities. Review and discuss the four types of significant life events presented in handout 1, part 2.

  5. (a) Practice identifying significant life events. Distribute handout 7. Have participants read the family scenario.

    (b) Distribute handout 8. Using the handout, ask participants to finish charting the Kelso family's life cycle by identifying the significant life events described in the vignette.

    (c) Debrief the exercise by discussing the following:

    • What can you learn about families from exploring significant events in their life cycles?

    • How will understanding a family's life cycle help you support that family?

  6. Practice exploring family growth. Distribute handout 9. Have participants choose a Head Start family they know. As homework, ask participants to meet with the family and chart its life cycle by identifying significant life events. Handout 9 can be used as a guide for this process. Instruct participants to discuss with the family the effects of the significant life events and what the family learned from them. Remind participants to make a copy of all written materials for the family. Set a date and time to meet again.

Session 2

  1. Debrief the homework assignment. Have participants recap the experience of charting a Head Start family's life cycle. Have participants point out strengths (supports and coping skills) that they now see in the family and how the family has changed over time. Discuss any concerns or difficulties experienced during the activity, as well as any challenges that emerged during the activity.

  2. Examine Family Responsibilities. Distribute handout 4 and review family responsibilities. Explain to participants that families usually take responsibility for economic support, health care and wellness, education and socialization, and family maintenance.

  3. Identify supports. Establish that families have two sources of support.


    • Internal supports are the skills, characteristics, mechanisms, or resources that help families cope with change, including family practices and routines, strengths, family history, traditions, culture, celebrations, economic resources, and family members.

    • External supports include a full range of informal and formal resources, ranging from friends and social activities to specialized professional services that can help a family meet its responsibilities.

  4. (a) Complete a practice exercise. Briefly review the concept of significant life events and the Kelso Family scenario (handouts 7 and 8) discussed in Session 1.

    (b) Tell the participants that significant life events can have an impact families and their responsibilities, presenting both opportunities and challenges, and may require them to draw on their internal and external supports. Distribute handout 5. Review the example provided in the handout by discussing 1) how moving impacted the Kelsos; and 2) the supports that were available.

    (c) Distribute handout 6. Instruct participants to choose another significant life event from The Kelso Family Life Cycle (handout 8). Using this significant life event, have participants complete handout 6.

  5. Debrief the exercise. Have participants recap the experience. Next, discuss participants' concerns or difficulties with this activity.

  6. Practice identifying opportunities, challenges, and supports. Have participants focus again on the Head Start family they chose in Session 1. Using the family life cycle developed in Session 1 (handout 9), instruct participants to select a significant life event. Assign homework to assess the potential impacts on the family and the internal and external supports available to the family. Handout 6 may be used as a guide for this process.

  7. Debrief the homework assignment. When you meet with participants again, review the impacts and supports identified in the selected family.

  8. Close the activity. Emphasize that significant life events can have an impact on the growth and development of families; each family's reaction and response to a significant life event is unique. State that by identifying significant life events, staff can recognize potential impacts, build on strengths, reinforce internal supports, and connect families with appropriate external supports. Emphasize that exploring family growth is one way for staff to support the family partnership agreement process. In closing, encourage staff to use the life cycle strategy in their work with families and to stay up-to-date on community supports and resources.


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