and entanglements of their family of origin (Peterson, 1995a; Haley, 1973; Carter & McGoldrick, 1999; Newman & Newman, 1998).
When young adults are married, they enter into the next stage where they are faced with the challenges of creating a committed and intimate relationship with one another. They have to learn how to interact with one another within the context of married life and deal with the practical realities of life. In the process, newly married couples must now begin to establish effective boundaries that protect their relationship from unwarranted interventions of families of origin and friends. Even though they are willing to receive suggestions and assistance from their families and friends, they have to retain the ultimate decision-making powers in establishing a new couple system for themselves. In this new social arrangement, couples must prioritize their spouses above their families of origin and friends who are now considered to be the supportive network, instead of the center of their life (Peterson, 1995a; Haley, 1973; Carter & McGoldrick, 1999; Newman & Newman, 1998).
With pregnancy and the arrival of children, couples move onto the next stage of the life cycle as they are compelled to modify their patterns of interaction with one another to accommodate their new roles as parents and responsibilities. At this juncture, couples need to be able to strike a balance in their interactions with their children and one another so that the needs of the entire family are fulfilled in the new system. Ideally, couples adapt their lifestyle by creating family activities, affiliating with other couples who have children and creating their unique family traditions, which are distinct from those of their families of origin (Peterson, 1995a; Haley, 1973; Carter & McGoldrick, 1999; Newman & Newman, 1998).
At the same time, the task of juggling family and career life can become difficult for couples, especially in ...