The United States of America has an abundant amount of resources, technology, freedom, education, and cultural adversity. Due to these advantages, the United States has conducted and produced the majority of family based research. As a result of this research, it is known world wide what our country's views on family are.
It is known across the world that the "American Dream" consists of a happy marriage between husband and wife, a few children, a white picket fence home, and the father having a successful career - but that was in the 1900's. While all of these things may sound appealing to you, a widespread amount of the population disagrees, according to the collected research.
Why is this? There are many beliefs that vary from generation to generation, but common misconceptions on marriage and family life may be affecting as much as marriage rates, birth rates, and more. One of these misconceptions that has made a big impact, is the belief that half of all marriages end in divorce. Have you ever heard this? When I first heard this, I became extremely discouraged in my dating life. I thought to myself, "Why should I even try to find someone I want to marry, if it won't even last?" But good news - this statement isn't accurate! The statement that only 50% of marriages would last was only a prediction and was based off of divorce rates in the 1980's - "Had the rates of the early 1980s continued, half or more of all marriages would fail (National Marriage Project 2003:25)", but that isn't the case for today's current time. In fact, "if you have a fairly good education (some college or more) and a good income, come from an intact family, have a religious affiliation, and marry after the age of 25 without having a baby before marrying, 'your chances of divorce are very low indeed' (National Marriage Project 2009:80)". As a result of these myths concerning marriage, there are changing patterns in relationships. For example, cohabitation. This is "living with someone in an intimate, sexual relationship without being legally married" (Lauer & Lauer p.11). You may have even heard a couple say, "We don't believe in marriage, it's only a piece of paper". When cohabiting, couples experience many of the same benefits that result from marriage. This could be why many are beginning to think marriage is not needed or significant in their relationships; but this does have a direct link to some more serious issues. Cohabitation often leads to delayed marriage, or no marriage at all. Delayed marriage has it's own repercussions, as well. Couples may wait to get married so they can focus on school, careers, traveling, or other things that seem to take priority. However, delayed marriages has a significant effect on birth rates. According to Lauer & Lauer, "As a result of later marriages, delayed first births, and an increasing number of childless marriages, the birth rate declined considerably from the 1950s" (p.12). As a woman gets older, it becomes more dangerous for her, as well as the baby during pregnancy, as health risks increase dramatically. A significant decrease of births takes a toll on our country's population, which eventually will impact our economic growth, as well.
It seems as though the classic "American Dream" may be changing. Priorities have shifted from marriage and family, to careers, pets, and traveling.
Family has always been important to me, but I had no idea how much family affects our country. Do you believe family to be fundamental to our nation? With this information, do you think society needs to create more of an emphasis on marriage and family?
Comment and let me know!
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