irteen. Her father has remarried and has three daughters from his second marriage. There is no rivalry between Heather and her half-sisters. Heather's mother and elderly grand-parents have weekly contact with the Smiths and are readily available to them both. Support may be financial, emotional or help with childcare. Heather described the relationship with her grandparents as very special. Heather sets the family boundaries at present and feels confident they both have support thru friends and family to discuss any problems that may occur.
             Heather and Brianna belong to many subsystems within their own family. They both belong to an only child subsystem, a female subsystem and a parent child subsystem. There are larger systems this family has meaningful contact with. These include Heather's work, Brianna's daycare, the local health center and the gym. These subsystems all contribute in some way to the health and well being of this family (Wright and Leahey, 2000). As a single mother Heather encompasses the traditional gender roles of both male and female. This involves child-rearing and nurturing as well as financial and disciplining roles.
             The Smiths moved to the city a year ago hoping to improve choices and opportunities for themselves. Heather works 20 hours a week in a hotel and Brianna is in subsidized daycare 25 hours a week. They live in a large renter house and have a large dog for security. With one income and increased cost of living in the city, the Smiths remain in a lower socioeconomic class. Heather hopes to attend university in the future, but accepts it will be a struggle to meet the rising costs of housing, education and travel for herself and Brianna as a single parent family. Heather expressed no religious or spiritual beliefs that she and Brianna maintain.
             The focus of this category is on the developmental life cycle stages of the family including the emotional process and changes within fam...