FAMILY AND CONSUMER

LIFE SKILLS
E136

MS. RIZZAQUEL DAQUIOAG

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 This focuses on the general

competencies in the different sub-
areas of home economics such as
food and nutrition, arts and crafts,
interior design, food service and
consumer education.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:

Knowledge: Recognizing the roles, responsibilities, and importance of the

family and their skills as consumers in the society.

Skills: Explore characteristics of strong families; family customs and

traditions; healthy relationships; marriage readiness; parenting issues;
consumer behavior; clothing, housing and food needs throughout the life
span; assessing effects of technology on the family; and career options
related to family and consumer sciences and human sciences.

Values: Profound regard to the family as the fundamental institution of

human development and source of moral support as well as practical
standards.
DESCRIPTION OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER EDUCATION

 a field of study that focuses on

families and work and on their
interrelationships.
 tries to empower individuals and
families to identify and create
alternative solutions to
significant everyday challenges
and to take responsibility for the
consequences of their actions.
DESCRIPTION OF CONSUMER EDUCATION

 The central concern of this

field is the physical,
economic, and socio-
psychological well-being of
individuals and families
within a diverse society.
 TOPIC 1
DEFINITION, NATURE AND ESSENCE
OF FAMILY, FAMILY LIFE SKILLS
AND CONSUMER LIFE SKILLS
DEFINITION OF FAMILY

In the context of human society, a family

is a group of people related either by;
• consanguinity (by recognized birth)
• affinity (by marriage or other
relationship), or
• co-residence (as implied by the
etymology of family) or some
combination of these.
COMPOSITION OF A FAMILY

 Members of the immediate

family may include spouses,
parents, brothers, sisters, sons
and daughters (inclusive of
adopted siblings).
 Members of the extended
family may include
grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, nephews, nieces and
siblings-in-laws.
DEFINITION OF LIFE SKILLS

 These skills that are

necessary or desirable for
full participation in everyday
life and are essential for
adult independent living.

 
DEFINITION OF FAMILY LIFE SKILLS

 Skills that are meant to

enrich the manners of
interactions among family
members to make each
member of the family as
psychologically strong as
possible.
FOUR AREAS OF CONCERN FCLS
1. Financial and Resource
Management
2. Balancing Family, Work, and
Community Responsibility
3. Food Science and Nutrition
4. Child Development stages,
health, and safety.
 FOUR AREAS OF CONCERN FCLS
In Financial and Resource Management
 spending plans, consumer rights and responsibilities,
income, purchasing, investing, building a strong
credit history, and financing a house and car.
In Balancing Family, Work, and Community
Responsibility
 practice of practical reasoning skills, team building,
family functions, the family life cycle, and
communication.
In Food Science and Nutrition
 about food supply and handling and nutrition
throughout the life span.
In Child Development
 about children’s developmental stages, health, and
safety.
SPECIFIC FAMILY AND CONSUMER LIFE SKILLS
Capabilities on:
basic nutrition needed by members of the family
practices on safety and sanitary food handling
techniques, follow a recipe and measure ingredients
accurately in the preparation of a variety of foods.
understanding the role of personal and financial
resources in the decision making process.
examining aptitudes and interests as they relate to
career selection.
necessary for employment.
Family strengths as identified by Australian
families
Communication: Listening to each other and
communicating with openness and honesty.
Togetherness: Sharing similar values and beliefs
that create a sense of belonging and bonding.
Sharing activities: Spending time together doing
things they enjoy (e.g., sports, reading, camping or
playing games).
Family strengths as identified by Australian
families
Affection: Showing affection and care regularly
through words, hugs, kisses and thoughtfulness.
Support: Offering and asking for support, with
family members knowing they will receive help,
encouragement and reassurance from one another.
Acceptance: Understanding, respecting and
appreciating each family member’s unique
qualities.
Family strengths as identified by Australian
families

Commitment: Seeing family wellbeing as a

first priority and acting accordingly with
commitment and loyalty.

Resilience: Being able to tolerate difficulties

and adapt to changing situations in positive
ways.
 Building Blocks of Healthy Family Relationships

Building and maintaining positive relationships with

children and with all family members is not always
easy. It can be hard work trying to ensure everyone’s
most important needs are met. All families have times
when tempers flare, feelings get hurt and
misunderstandings occur.
Factors
1. Making relationships a priority
2. Communicating effectively
3. Working together as a family
4. Providing support for each other
A. Ways of making relationships a priority
Spend time with children and other family members
When together, set aside a few minutes to spend with
family and children doing simple things like talking to
them, singing songs, playing a game, reading a story or
the newspaper, or even making dinner together.
Make the activity fun or do something that children
want to do. Let your child show you how to do
something so that they feel special.
Seizing opportunities to spend time with family
members as they arise can be helpful as well.
Be affectionate
 Everyone has different ways of showing love and care.
Some people give lots of hugs and kisses, others give a
high-five, pat on the back, nod, wink or show a thumbs-up.
Some others may say ‘I love you’ or ‘You’re special’. Any
positive sign of affection shows that you care and may help
develop trust and closeness in the relationship. Being warm
and caring also means giving your family and children
attention both when they are happy and engaged in their
activities and when they are upset and need some
comforting.
Celebrate little achievements
While it is fun to celebrate birthdays and important
milestones like walking, using a spoon or riding a
tricycle, we can also make happy occasions out of
everyday positive things that your child does. Some
examples are: a child sharing a toy, siblings playing
together with their toys, speaking courteously, following
routines independently, asking for help politely and
children showing you a game they have completed.
Separate work and family life
 Work can take many forms, including household chores, working
in the garden, working in an office or organization, caring for
family members or running errands. This can take up a large part
of the day. Sometimes we may forget to switch off from work
and end up thinking about it even when we are not working. It
may be helpful to remind ourselves to try to give our full
attention to our family and children when we are with them. If
we do remember something work-related, it may be helpful to
write it down for later. This can help with being fully present
with our family. 
B. Communicating effectively

Listen
Focus full attention and treat what children are
saying would let them feel you are genuinely
interested of them. While serious listening can
take a little extra time, quality time with them
help you and your child to come up with joint
solutions for problems when needed (rather than
offering your own solutions).
Tune in
Paying attention to emotions manifested in
body language and expressions assist you in
noticing and responding to feelings.
Tuning into your own feelings allows others to
understand them.
Tuning into their behaviors and feelings allows
you to guide them as they learn to express their
feelings in words.
Acknowledge feelings
 Listen for meaning and feeling and actively
check that you understand your child’s feelings.
By helping children to explain their feelings
you can help them understand their emotions.
This also stops a problem from getting worse as
the child’s feelings are heard and respected by
the family.
Set a good example
 The way you communicate is important as children are
learning what to do by watching you. Focusing and
providing caring responses may not always be easy,
especially when you are tired, busy or dealing with
conflict. However, by showing children that what they say
is important and providing them with respectful responses,
they can learn to do the same when they communicate with
you, other family members, and their peers. For example,
say ‘sorry’ when you make a mistake or hurt your child’s
feelings or ask ‘How was your day?’ and really listen to the
answer.
Show respect
 It is easier for people to listen and accept your
view when you communicate in a respectful,
caring, tactful way. This allows children to
sense your calmness and warmth even when
setting boundaries. For example, his dad Robert could
say to Luke, ‘I know you enjoy watching your cartoon but I
still want you to say “Hello” when I come home’. This shows
that Robert understands Luke’s position, and wants Luke to
understand his.
Send clear messages
 Parents’ and carers’ actions send a message
which can be interpreted differently by family
members. Clear messages are less likely to be
misinterpreted. Avoid giving mixed messages
where you say one thing and do another. Since
people see actions more often than they hear
the words you are saying, try to match what
you do with what you say.
Talk with children
 The way adults speak can encourage children
to respond or to shut down. Listening and
paying attention shows interest but it is also
helpful to ask specific questions about topics of
interest to children. This encourages them to
talk more and share their knowledge. Follow
children’s lead and give them space to talk or
be silent.
C. Working together as a family
Communicate clear expectations
Talk together so there is an opportunity to
explain roles and expectations. Clear
boundaries for children’s behavior helps
them understand what they need to do and
what will happen if they do not follow these
boundaries. 
Talk about the good stuff

 It is helpful to talk about what is

working well in family relationships.
Have family discussions 
 This gives the family a chance to talk about
both the little things and the big things.
Discussions can be very short or long,
spontaneous or planned, depending on what
needs to be talked about and how long very
young children can focus for. It can be used to
decide on family chores, house rules or plan
family activities and outings.
Include children in decisions

Even very young children can be included in

decision making. Provide a couple of options
and say ‘Which one?’, to help them pick.
This decision making helps the children feel
valued and important.
D. Providing support for each other

Being present
It may help to let family members know that
you are there to help, provide comfort, love
and care. Everyone shows comfort in
different ways. Checking in with them to see
how they are going may also be beneficial.
Sharing the load
 Sometimes people get overloaded with the
tasks that need to be finished. At these times,
being aware of a family member’s needs and
offering to help them can reduce stress. If
someone in your family has many chores to
do, finding time to help out can help relieve
some stress. In this way, children also learn
that they can help out or receive help when
needed.
Checking in with others
There may be times when you notice some
families
. around you having difficulties in their
relationships. It helps to be sensitive and
thoughtful about the relationships around you.
Consider whether other families may benefit from
additional support and resources to strengthen
their relationships and check in if you are
wondering if this is needed.  
Asking for help
 Sometimes we may need to ask for help when we
find that we have too many things to do. Taking care
of ourselves and seeking help is important. When we
feel calm and relaxed, we have the time and energy to
build positive relationships. For example, if you feel
you need a break, ask a family member or friend to
help out so you can have some time away. Parents
and carers may find asking for help tricky but it is an
important way to build healthy family relationships.
End of the topic
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUDGETING AND SAVING FOR YOUR FAMILY

1.Financial Planning
 It can be useful for you and your partner to
meet with a qualified financial planner who
can help you develop personal finance goals
for the family and create a shared budget.

 It's important to understand your partner's

financial situation before you marry — once
you're married, you'll not only be sharing a
home and a life together, but also each
other's financial history.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUDGETING AND SAVING FOR YOUR FAMILY

1. Financial Planning
 Joint accounts, expenses and bills will mean
your partner's financial circumstances (like
their credit history) will begin to affect you.
Make sure you both understand each other's
financial situation and take steps to handle
any potential issues before joining finances.
This is also an excellent way to ensure you
are in agreement about important financial
topics. 
2. Taxes

 Once married, you will have the option to file

your annual income tax returns separately or
jointly with your spouse. Filing jointly means
that you will combine your income and
deductions. Most couples file jointly because
it is easier to submit one return than two, and
some deductions and credits are only
available to married couples filing jointly. It is
always wise to consult a tax professional
before making tax-related decisions.
3. Bank Accounts
 When it comes to whether you want to maintain joint
or individual bank accounts, every family is different.
There are numerous options. You can maintain
separate bank accounts and each pay a portion of
your bills, deposit a set amount into a shared account
each month and pay your bills using that account
while maintaining separate accounts for your own
expenditures, or pool all of your money in one
account.
 If you decide to hold any of your accounts jointly,
keep track of your transactions carefully and
communicate about them to your spouse. With two
individuals using one account, tracking cash flow can
be difficult.
4. Credit Cards

You should each keep at least one

credit card in your name to maintain a
separate credit history of your own. If
you get divorced or your partner dies,
it will be much easier to get a
mortgage, loan or credit card with
some individual credit activity.
5. Debt
If you or your spouse has considerable
debt, work to pay it off so you can
focus on other financial goals. The
first step is to get an accurate picture
of how much you owe. Next, review
your budget and construct a plan to
pay off your debt as quickly as
possible. The more you can pay per
month, the less you will pay in interest
overall. 
6. Retirement
A comfortable retirement should be a
top priority for every individual. Since
people are living longer than ever,
retirement savings need to last longer.
Develop a plan to ensure you are each
contributing enough to your
retirement funds to ensure the life you
want during your golden years.
Our retirement page can help you plan
for the future.
SEX EDUCATION FOR TEENAGERS
(REPORTING)
A. Sexuality Education
1. Basic sex education for children or
adolescents.
2. Sexually transmitted disease prevention
3. Sexual identity/orientation education
4. Pregnancy prevention education
Conceptual View of Sex Education
 A comprehensive sex education includes a broad
range of topics referring to sexuality and sexual
health.
 It contains information about body image,
abstinence, contraception, gender, human
reproduction, human anatomy, pregnancy, and
safe sex.
 It involves sharing knowledge about birth control
methods, sexual attitudes, sexual health and
behavior, sexual orientation and sexually
transmitted diseases.
Sex Education for Teens:
Sex education
The responsibility of every parent and
teacher. It is better for teens to get the
right information from their parents
rather than being misinformed from
other sources like magazines, friends,
and websites.
Goal of Sex Education:
 To help youth obtain a positive view of
sexuality.
 To teach the teens all the skills and
knowledge they require to make healthy
decisions about their sex life.
 To reduce the risk of negative outcomes from
sexual behavior like unwanted and unplanned
pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Benefits of Sex Education
1. Teaches Teens Communication And
Negotiation Skills
Comprehensive sex education can benefit the
young adults considerably particularly in
dealing with peer pressure. It will also teach
them the art of negotiation and
communication.
2. Helps Teens Understand The
Repercussions of Teenage Pregnancy
A proper guidance will make the teens better
equipped to understand the repercussion of
teenage pregnancy. Teen pregnancies affect
the adolescent, emotionally, mentally and
physically. Adolescents are mentally
unprepared to handle pregnancy, childbirth,
and parenthood.
3. Basic Sex Education for Children and
Adolescents
A comprehensive sex education includes a broad
range of topics referring to sexuality and sexual
health.
It contains information about body image,
abstinence, contraception, gender, human
reproduction, human anatomy, pregnancy, and safe
sex. It involves sharing knowledge about birth
control methods, sexual attitudes, sexual health and
behavior, sexual orientation, sexual pleasure and
sexually transmitted diseases.
Prevents Sexual Diseases
A comprehensive sex education can go
a long way in controlling AIDS and
other sexually transmitted diseases like
pelvic inflammatory disease, syphilis,
gonorrhea, and non-gonococcal
urethritis.
Parents’ Role In Sex Education
 Sex education is more of a parent’s responsibility than the
teacher’s. By supplementing what your teen learns in
school, you can set the stage for a lifetime.
1. Seize The Moment:
 Use everyday moments as opportunities to talk
about sex. News articles, television shows, and
radio can be excellent starting points. Try asking
your teen what she thinks about it. Daily chores,
like helping with the dishes and riding a car can
give you the best opportunities to talk about this
topic.
2. Be Direct
 State your feelings about particular sex-
related issues directly. You must present the
risks of sex objectively, including unplanned
pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and
emotional pain.
3. Consider Your Teen’s Point Of View
Do not lecture your teen or discourage
his sexual activity. Instead, listen
carefully. Understand his pressures,
concerns, and challenges.
4. Move Beyond The Facts
 Your teen needs accurate medical
information about sex. But at the same time,
you must also talk about the attitudes,
feelings and values. Examine the questions
of responsibility and ethics in the context of
your family and social beliefs.
5. Invite More Discussion
Encourage your teen to talk about sex
whenever she has questions or concerns.
Welcome the question, by saying that
you are glad she came to you.
6. Use Correct Names For The Body Parts

The simple way to talk about sex with your

teen is by using the correct name for the body
parts.
Busting The Myths
Some of the common myths of teen sex
education are as follows
Myth 1:
 Sex education will liberate the young mind and
will allow teens to indulge in sexual intercourse
more frequently.
Truth:
 There is no evidence that sex education will make
the teens more promiscuous. On the contrary, sex
education helps teens take sound decisions about
their sex life.
Myth 2:
Comprehensive sex education programs for
teens increase the frequency of sexual intercourse.

Truth:
Again, there is no proof of this. On the other hand,
sex education increased prevention behavior among
the sexually active teens and decreased the
frequency of sexual intercourse. It also reduced the
frequency of changing partners.
Myth 3:
Comprehensive sexuality education is not useful,
abstinence-only is.

Truth:
The fact is that abstinence-only sex education
courses are relatively less effective than
comprehensive sex education.
Myth 4
Sex education will increase the incidence of teenage
pregnancies.

Truth
Teens who are not much aware of sex are less likely
to use protection while having sexual intercourse.
Sex education increases the chances of using
protection and avoiding teen pregnancy.
Group 1:

B. Relationship Education
1. Social and Emotional Development Programs
2. Sibling relationship programs
3. Interpersonal violence prevention
4. Bullying and Cyberbullying
5. Marriage Preparation
6. Marriage Enrichment
7. Re-marriage Preparation/Enrichment
8. Gay/lesbian relationship programs
Group 2:

C. Parent Education
1.General parent education
2.Parenting for specific groups
3.Culturally-specific parenting
4.Gay/lesbian parent education
5.Children with special needs
6.Parenting for risky-behavior
Group 3:

D. Family Transition/Stressful Life Events

Education
1. Transition to parenthood education
2. Divorce Education
3. Work-family education
4. Stepfamily education
5. Caregiving for aging or disabled family
member
6. Bereavement/Grief education
Group 4:

D. Families and Health Behaviors

1.Obesity prevention
2.Disease management
3.Drug & Alcohol Prevention
4.Weight management
5.Stress management
.
 SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
• Social Development is about
improving the well-being of every
individual in society so they can reach
their full potential.
• The success of society is linked to the
well-being of each and every citizen
• Social Development encompasses a
commitment to individual and societal
well-being and opportunity for the
citizens to determine their own and
their society’s needs and to influence
decisions that affect these.
• Social development is defined in the
broadest social terms from lesser to
greater levels of efficiency, quality
productivity, complexity, comprehension,
creativity, choice, mastery, employment
and accomplishment
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• It is growth in the child's ability to

distinguish, recognize, express, manage
emotions in socially acceptable ways,
understand emotional content of other's
communication, realistic and coherent
identity, fully functioning adult and to have
empathy for others.
KINDS OF EMOTIONS

• Positive
Pleasant emotions helpful and essential to
normal development.
• Negative
Unpleasant emotions harmful to
individual
DIMENSIONS OF EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

• Self-awareness (Emotional Understanding)

• Self-regulation (Emotional Regulation)
• Motivation (Self-Motivation)
• Empathy (Responding to other's emotion)
• Social Skills (Emotions in Relationships)
TIPS FOR TALKING TO ADOLESCENTS

• Engage adolescents with nonthreatening

questions.
• Listen non-judgementally and listen more than
you speak.
• Ask open-minded questions.
• Avoid "why" questions.
• Match the emotional state, unless it is hostile.
• Casually model rational decision making.
• Discuss ethical and moral problems that are in
the news.
INTERPERSONAL
VIOLENCE
PREVENTION
 INTERPERSONAL
VIOLENCE (IPV)
 is the intentional use of physical force or
power, threatened or actual, against a person or
group that results in or has a high likelihood of
injury and death.
Can be committed by a person who is or has
been in a romantic relationship like, spouse,
cohabitant and also family members.
 INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE
INCLUDE:

PHYSICAL
Ex: Punching, Pulling Hair, Kicking, Slapping…
SEXUAL
Ex: Making you do sexual things that is against your will.
EMOTIONAL
Ex: Putting you down, Making you think you are crazy…
PSYCHOLOGICAL ACTIONS
Ex: Threatening to commit suicide, Threatening to harm children…
 WAYS TO PREVENT INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE :
1. Share Resources.
- If you have some leaflets or some
printed papers that talks about
Interpersonal Violence, leave cards
in libraries, schools, health care
settings (clinics, hospitals and etc.)
to educate the community about it.
2. Know the signs.
- Interpersonal violence can happen to anyone- white or
black, young or old, rich or poor, educated or not
educated. Sometimes violence begins early on in a
relationship and other times it takes months or even
years to appear. But there are generally warning signs.
1. Being jealous of your friends.
2. Controlling all financial decisions.
3. Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to.
3. Lend an Ear.
- If someone ever told you they are experiencing IPV, listen without
judgment. Believe what they are telling you and ask how you can
help.
4. Be available.
- If someone you know is thinking about leaving or is in fear about
the said violence, be ready to help.
5. Be a resource.
- Someone experiencing a violence may not be able to research for
shelters or escape plans, give a helping hand. Bring them to those
who are handling cases about it, for example is in DSWD.
Sibling RELATIONSHIP
EDUCATION
83
“Siblings will take different
paths and life will separate
them, but they will forever be
bonded by having began their
journey in the same boat.”

84
 Sibling Relationship Programs
The SIBlings are special (SIBS) Program started by
Feinberg and Susan McHale, Ph.., professor of
human development and family studies addresses
relationship between brothers and sisters which are
critical for learning the life skills that can
strengthen a child’s development.

85
 This is an important issue not only because
siblings share a lifetime long relationship, but also
because sibling relations appear to be as important
as parenting and peer relations for many aspects
of a child’s development and well being.

86
HERE ARE FEW WAYS ON HOW WE CAN HELP LITTLE
ONES REAP THE BENEFIT OF THEIR SIBLING
RELATIONSHIP AND TURN THEIR ARGUMENTS INTO
A LIFELONG LESSONS

1. Check your emotion when the kid argue

It is natural to feel heated emotions when your kids
are in the throes of yet another argument over a toy.
You might feel compelled to rid the house of the
toy in question or send everyone to separate
corners. Tread carefully, young children watch their
parents for cues when it comes to managing
conflict and coping with big emotions.

87
 2. Encourage siblings to nurture
one another

When one sibling is hurt, encourage another to check

on her. When one needs help with a task, encourage
the others to jump in and get the job done. When they
argue over something, help them verbalize their
feelings so that they can listen to and empathize with
one another. Teach kids that they always have each
other for help, support or just to have fun, they will
get the message that their relationship is grounded in
unconditional love.

88
3.CREATE SIBLING SPECIAL TIME
Sibling special time is a great way to ensure
that your kids have the time and space they need
to build a strong bond. Figure out a block of time
each week when the kids can play without
interruption or instruction. Let them take over the
play area and make a mess. Encourage them to
merge their ideas and create something new
together. Then step back and let them figure it
out.

89
4. GET SIBLINGS IN ON A
NIGHT TIME ROUTINE
Kids love their night time routines, and often the
youngest kids have the most items on their evening wish
list. Encouraging siblings to read one story together,
sing each other a song or give hugs and high fives
before bed creates a special bond before they drift off to
sleep. It also teaches kids that they can turn to one
another for support if they ever feel unsettled at night.

90
5. Cheer each other on
Kids will compare themselves to one another at times. In some cases, they
try to learn for each other; in other cases hey try to figure out how they stack
up. Celebrate the diversify of strengths within the family. This is the lesson that
children needs to hear: we all have different strengths, and when we combine
our talents we can make a difference in this world.
Teach kids to cheer each other on, offer and ask each other to help, and
recognize their strengths. When siblings learn from early age that they aren't in
a competition with each other and that they have the power to help each other
thrive, their relationship thrives

91
Why are siblings important?
1.They shape the person you become
2.They help you communicate better
3.They cement your attitude towards
the opposite sex
4.It is one of the most enduring
relationship of your life

92
 “Ohana means Family
and Family means no one
gets
Left behind or Forgotten”
-Lilo & Stitch

93
MARRIAGE PREPARATION
FIRST, ATTEND A
PREMARITAL EDUCATION
CLASS OR PREMARITAL
COUNSELING.

Eighty-nine percent of married couples who attended premarital

education BEFORE marriage found it to be helpful down the
road. Worthwhile classes will teach you communication skills
and conflict management tools, along with addressing
appropriate expectations.
Find a mentor
couple.

Seek out an older, more experienced, happily

married couple to provide wisdom and support
to you as you begin your adventure together.
 Start thinking
"We" instead of
"Me."

Marriage is a partnership. It will serve you well

to remember you are on the same team. Make
time to pursue activities together and explore
common interests.
Talk about your
expectations for
marriage.

What are your goals for your marriage? How will you
decide who does what around the house? Who will
manage the money? Discuss your goals to help ensure
a successful marriage. Unrealistic and unmet
expectations often lead to resentment.
Be committed.

Since commitment is a choice, believing in the

permanence of your marriage will actually help
your relationship over the long haul.
 Talk about
money.

Save yourselves a lot of future headaches by

discussing your spending habits and spending plans
and goals. Always spend less than you make, save a
little for a rainy day and try to avoid debt.
Talk about
children.

Will you have children? If so, how many children

would you like to have? When would you like to have
kids? Will both of you work or will one of you stay
home?
 How will
work/friends/family/social
activities affect your
marriage?

Also, discuss boundaries for your marriage.

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