At the age of 6 or 7, male children begin to go to the fields with their fathers, and female children stay at home with their mothers. Between the ages of 12 to 15 for females and 15 to 18 for males, children are considered adults. At this time, they are able to marry and become independent.
Marriage is arranged by the parents of the children and most often includes a form of bride-price. The parents of the male form a relationship with the parents of the female over time, and if all is satisfactory the children are married. After marriage, the children usually form an independent household.
Households usually consist of only the nuclear family, but it is not uncommon for households to cluster, creating a form of multidwelling extended-family household.
Given the degree of mobility in Q'eqchi' society, there is often little to transmit; however, parents often grant the inheritance of property to the children who offer labor or care giving to the parent during his or her lifetime.