Lifecourse theory concentrates on how aperson’s early lifetime decisions or events have effects on his/her own future.

  Such as studying or getting a job, choosinglife partner and getting married etc. Perspective also underlines how importantfamily life, environment of person, circumstances those individuals in it andprocesses that influences individual’s development. Historical times and placesare important for life course perspective which is also shaping individual’sdevelopment. My personal opinion, Up series is the best-describing for LifeCourse Theory. Michael Apted, directed the documentary from 1964. Individuals talkedabout their goals, dreams, and their fears. Every 7 years they visitedindividuals how they are changing and this continued until they become 56 yearsold. Series displays that, with the time, how individuals change; physically,emotionally, cognitively, psychologically, behavioural, their health, theirgoals, life expectancies, life styles, how life conditions affecting theirchoices, opportunities that given to them and constrains in their life.

I wouldlike to; give information regarding to their life and link with the basic formsof Life Course Theory. SUEShe got married at the age of 24. And she had 2children. According to her when you get married there are things that you misssuch as being yourself and you are not single being anymore. At the age of 28she admits about getting marriage that primary aim was having child. She wasdivorced 34 years old. Sue worked in different jobs such as travel agency, pattime building society, when she was 49 she was administer of post graduateprogramme.

She loved this job and she likes having responsibilities. Sinceschool time she wished to do drama and in her later life she did it. She didnot study but she is in the centre of university. At age of 56 she is gratefulwith her life and she did not say ” I wish if I do this” , according to hershe has home, she can feed herself enough, when she get retired she can traveland rest of her life she is hopeful for the future.

At the beginning of videoLynn, Sue, Jackie was together, they went to same school in London. When theywere 35 years old they all agreed that they did not have choice and afford tostudy. Theory focuses on continuity and change. Sue was not stable in her life.She could not study because of economic situation. But she was putting goals toherself and trying to do her best in her life.

Her parents were with her whenshe divorced. Being alone was affecting her negatively.Avison, Ali and Walters’study in 2007 indicated that single mothers were facing with more problematicsituations (finance, work-home balance). That’s why principle of ”linked lives” was affectivein her hard times. Connection with the family made her strong. She constructedher own life. With the constraints that she had in her life she compensatedthings.

She was not able to study but after years she was administer. PAULHe grew up in care place. He was child of divorcedparent. He was dreaming of happily marriage. He was not stable with hisdecisions about school or what do in his life. when he was 7 he wanted to be apolice, when he was he 14 wanted to be physic teacher.

He ended withconstruction worker. He got married and at the age of 28 he already had 2children. His children got married and they became a big family. When they werein 20s with his wife they sold everything and travelled to Australia. They wereclose and rely on each other. At the age of 56 he said that ”it was my choice,not to go to the university, I just worked hard enough” and he continued ” Ido not understand is I am getting old. Psychically I feel tired when I try tosomething I am hurting my muscle, its reminding me that I am getting old.

WhenI work it helps me and I do not feel sick. Enjoying with grandchildren, beingtogether and no tragedy is important”. He is also grateful in his life likeSue. But since he was small he dreamed for happily marriage and he did. Early lifeevents have influnces on future life (White & Klein, 2007). Hewas not consistent on his education but according to him, he chose not to go toschool and hard worked in other field. Changing is life long process.

Over timephysically he changed. He was not regret of his choices. These choicesconstructed his life. NEILHis dream was going to Oxford.

He started to study atuniversity but he dropped after the first term. When he was 21 he was workingin buildings as worker at this age he wanted to be somewhere important. At theage of 28 he did not have money and he was homeless. For him it was horriblething to stay homeless.

When he was 42 he was liberal democrat. He felt like hewas achieving something and he felt strong. His weakness was not doing anythingin his life and his strength was continuity and changing himself. He said that” no formal education prepare you what is coming next but life can prepareyou”.

He is happy with his job and he is glad that he is representing people. Hewas working and sharing his works with people but sometimes they were answeringhim ”it is rubbish” he did not give up he was always trying. His family wasreligious he went to church but age of 21 he is not sure if he believes in Godor not. He used like being active and changing things in this way he felthappy. When he was 28 he did not see future for him and he thought to suicide.I understand that getting reliable job and having home was very important forhim. He was thinking that he can help himself better than psychiatrist.

He wasscared of getting old at the age of 28. When he got married he does not want tohave children because he thinks that children makes dirty and they are naughty.Other reason for him not to have children is; children inherit something fromparents. He thinks that child will not be happy, because of him. He hadrelationship but he does not trust himself on relationships. He was a happychild but at the age of 28 he was referring the word ”happy” as a ”difficult word”.  My opinion Neil is agood example for ”you can do everything, believe in yourself”. In Nail’s lifehistory I see that opportunities are very important for development.

If he hadthe chance that having money and continuity of school there was nothing that hecannot do. But he believed that life is a good teacher. He was not stable,being stable was disturbing him. Emotionally he was down because of how hardwas his life. he did not get married and even he was not that social. He wasnot hopeful for a relationship he was not trusting himself. These all were hischoices.

And he shaped his life with his choice. He also chose to be childless.In 2003, Nomaguchi and Milkie’ s study indicated that young adults without child,exhibited better well-being than who have child. However Neil was childless andhe was not feeling well. Because every individual differs from each other. Insue’s case her children were affecting positively of her well-being. Neil wasfeeling happy when he was with his friends.

Individuals happier when they arewith others (Pavot, Diener, & Fujita, 1990).SYMONHe grew in orphanage. He had mom but he did not seehis dad. When he was 21 he said that he has good relationship with his mom justlike friend. When he was 35 his mom died because of cancer.

He has unspokenwords to his mom such as ”I love you”. His mom and dad was not marriedbecause of that people looked at him weird. He got married at the age of 28 andhe had 5 children. He gave everything that he has because he did not takeanything from his dad he does not what his child live the same things. When hewas 35 he divorced.

Firstly he could not see his children later he started toonly 3 of his children. When he was 42 he was married with someone else and hehad a child with her. He had good relationships with his children all the time.By 49 years old with his wife they started to train themselves( they will lookafter children who needs help). He thinks that foster parenting is like chance,you do not know what kind of person you are getting. He also thinks that allchildren want to be loved first everything else comes later.

Symon and his wifesupport each other all the time. At the age of 7 he said that ” when I want towork l will walk around and look for the job”. When he was 14 he wanted to beactor later he changed to the electric engineering. Age of 21 he was working infreezer room. He said that I am not going to be here for long time he does thisfor money. he does not care what he is doing, he likes hard work. Later whenfactory closed he  changed his job tomoving boxes at the airport.

He said that even if he goes back nothing wouldchange because he is a lazy person. He wanted to be accounted but he did notlike office atmosphere and he was stuck with the airport job.  Although they were different he was happy withhis second wife. He thinks that when he retires he will become old.

Learningfrom mistakes is important for him. According to his speech he has positivelife. He is happy and optimistic. Theory focuses on also normative andnon-normative events on  individual’slife.  As non-normative event for Symonhis mom’s death was very sad event for him.

He lost his job, he could not seehis children for a while and he did not know his father. However normative lifeevents of Symon made him happier (He got married again and he had children). Iunderstand that he did not enough satisfied with his job, he was complainingsuch as office is boring and he was not happy with airport job. He was a lazyperson and if he could study she would do better and feel happier I guess.

Hedid not see his father and he fulfilled this gap with being nice to hischildren. He did not see love from his caregiver, he felt he is in militarywhen he was in the orphanage. In this way he want to take train and do samething with his wife but caring children, loving them and helping them.

In hislater life this idea made him feel he is doing something and he was active. Hisearly life shaped his choices such as having children and taking care of them,being foster family. BRUCEIn first series which is 7 Up he said that he wants togo to Africa and teach children there. When Bruce was 14 years old his dad wasfar away from him.

Until at the age of 21 he did not have girlfriend.  In 28 Up he said that he wants to have afamily and he thinks he will be good at it. In 35 he was still single and hewas optimistic and hopeful for getting marriage.

In 42 Up he was inrelationship. They were thinking having children would be weird after 42 yearsold. In 49 Up they already had 2 children and they were all having funtogether. He said that children come before everything. In 56 Up l see that heis religious because he took his children to school which gives lectures aboutreligion. Bruce wants from his children to have good balance in their life.

Hedoes not want see them unhappy. He studied at Oxford University. In 28 Up hewas teaching in state school because he thinks that general education is goodfor community and public schools help society get better. Later he went toBangladesh to give education there.

Later he came back to London and he was thehead of some math school. In 49 Up he was teaching in independent school. Hewas willing to push and educate. He was happy with his job.

In 56 Up accordingto his wife he does not expressing his feelings. When I watched his lifesalient feature about him a stable life on focussing on his studying and workfor long process. He changed places and changed schools. He was not hopeful formeeting with someone and he met.

He was finding the idea of having childrenwould be weird and he had children, he was glad with that and he enjoyed it. Ashis roles change, he was changing before he did not have children I could notrealise that he was social person but after his had children he started doingactivities as I understand. He had chance to study and he shaped his life accordingto that. However I realized that he decided to take his children to religiousschool. He was shaping his children’s environment with which religion that hebelieves. My personal opinion is that he did not have to do this. He could givechance them to think and let them choice which kind of school they want.

 Change is inevitable. With the time according to opportunitiesor constrains all participants changed their life. Some of them made real theirgoals some of them could not. But majority of them was grateful for their lifeand with the choices they made.

Some of opportunities we cannot control and wecan change our decisions, life style place that we live in.  Just like Nick. In 28 Up he was thinking thatEngland does not seem to concern to train people like him. That’s why he wentto America and do research there. Historical times or economy of the countrywas affecting their life also. Tony who is cap driver, because of crush theywere giving their money to government so government can spent. In 56 Up Lynnlost her job because of crush she was almost retired but she could not retire. Theproblem with majority was staying away from their parents and going to boardingschool.

According to Life Course Theory early life event is affecting their futurelife. I usually saw that when children do not have strong relationship withparents, in their future life when they have children or child they are havinggood relationship and supporting each other. While they are growing up they didnot utilize from the technology. Lack of technology was one of the constrains.