The age of women getting married is the highest ever recorded in the United States according to my textbook: Marriage and Family: The Quest for Intimacy by Lauer and Lauer. Let's take a look at how the age has increased. U.S. statistics show starting from 1950 to 1970 half of the females married by the time they were 20.5 years old and half of males married by age 22.5 years. In 2007 average age for females was 26 and the average age for men was 28 years old. What you may ask contributed to this increase in the age of marriage? There are many factors to take into consideration and we will go through some of those factors that contribute.
According to Lauer and Lauer reasons for delaying marriage are: those who had part or all of their childhood without a father in the home, sexual relations among singles that are available, unwilling to settle down before experiencing life, focusing on personal growth and freedom, and fears of commitment and high divorce rates.
So, let's take a look at births to unmarried women. According to Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics in 2010- in teenagers more than 8 of 10 who have children are not married. Those who are in their early 20's, the percentage who are not married is 61%. Finally those 40 or older are 21%. Showing that there is a significant percentage of children that start out life without married parents. I feel for those children who start out without married parents, since I was able to be raised from the start with married parents. From my years of experience, I can see the advantages that I had compared to others, that I knew, who didn't have an ideal home life.
Premarital sex shows that there was a considerable increase in approval and in those involved through the 1960's and 1970's. But, by the 1980's that it started to decrease. An interesting difference in the Forum on Child and Family Statistics shows that in 1991 the percentage of high schoolers who had sex at least once was 54%. In comparison it was 47% in 2013. This shows that it has decreased in the last two decades.
There is also the focus on personal growth and freedom. To contrast this I will focus on intimate relationships. From birth humans need intimate relationships. In college for example, a benefit of being in a committed relationship is you don't have as many mental health problems and have a lower chance of being overweight or obese. Studies also show that marriage has the highest level of well-being. Adults who have social support in an intimate relationship are able to deal with crisis that comes in their life. I married almost six months ago and even though I had good relationships with my immediate family, I have to admit that I feel happier and better overall now.
Fears of commitment and divorce I feel, go together. The rate for divorce rose in the 1960's, but later in 1982 the divorce rates have tended to decline. Now the rate for divorce is lower than it was in the early 1970's. In a national survey in the U.S. it was found 35% of those ever married had been divorced. Showing that divorce is not at 50% and should not continue being spread as being true. Some factors that decrease your likelihood of divorce are: good education, come from an intact family, good income, get married after age 25 without having had a baby and have a religious affiliation.
My parents have been married for 28 years, going on to 29 years in a few months. Even with my parents never being divorced, I still had fears that it could happen to me. But, my parents marriage, my grandparents and other families I know, gave me hope that marriage doesn't have to end in divorce. The best things in life don't come from fear, they come from having faith. I can't say how much regret I would have, if I hadn't agreed to marry my husband. For all the people who talk about how bad marriage can be, there are still those who have good marriages and who are stronger because of their spouse. The part that matters to me is making sure that you find someone who accepts and loves you for who you are. That wants to help you succeed in life, enjoy life with you and will work through the hard times as well. If you find that, hold on and don't give up when it gets hard.
In closing, I am asking the question-Why do you think postponing marriage has risen and what can we do to help marriages not be postponed & be successful?
Link to YouTube video, enjoy!
The Couple with the Longest Marriage in America
30 Conclusions Why Marriage Matters from the Social Sciences
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