I believe that the Developmental Theory/Life Course Theory fits best when it comes to explaining some of the issues in marriages and families. This micro-level theory suggests that individuals go through certain stages in life; with each stage comes new tasks and responsibilities. Individuals get married and create families, this can be seen a step in the course of one’s life. However, this can also cause problems when it comes to the “steps” and “stages” of one’s life course considering a new person (or people) is brought into the picture that may have different views or be ready for different stages that their partner. These stages were thought to be the same for everyone when this theory was first developed, but over time theorist have realized that people are now growing and living in different ways. An example of this theory in action could be a spouse marrying somebody younger or older than themselves by a significant amount of years. One spouse might be ready to start a family whereas the other might want to enjoy being a married couple without the responsibility of children. Another example could be that while one spouse is ready to retire and settle down the other might be interested in working more or even keeping their job for a few years; this clash in life stages could tear marriages or families apart. People who do not follow the stages that the society sees as the norm may also be scrutinized and looked down upon, putting stress onto the family or marriage.
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