More Unmarried, Cohabiting Couples Having Babies Together: OK or Put a Ring On It?
SodaHead Living
2012/04/12 18:29:05
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First came love, then came ... shacking up ... then came a baby in the baby carriage. The number of U.S. women age 15-44 giving birth for the first time while living with a partner to whom they are not married has risen from 12 percent of first births in 2002 to 22 percent of first births between 2006 and 2010, a new government report says, according to WebMD.
Want some more interesting stats from the survey? The average age for a woman to give birth to her first child is 23; for men, it's 25. Also, half of women's first births took place in their 20s; two-thirds of first births were fathered by men in their 20s.
And what about women who were married and women who were college-educated? They were more likely to have a first birth at age 30 or older, compared with women who were not married or who were less educated. So, do you think it's OK for cohabiting couples to start reproducing? Or should he put a ring on it first?
And what about women who were married and women who were college-educated? They were more likely to have a first birth at age 30 or older, compared with women who were not married or who were less educated. So, do you think it's OK for cohabiting couples to start reproducing? Or should he put a ring on it first?
Top Opinion
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katy.isodo 2012/04/12 18:48:18OK
+18I think there are just as many married couples living unhealthy lives.. simply having 'legal binding documents' doesn't create a more healthy environment for a child. Plenty of non married people make great parents.
The important part is the commitment to not walk out on each other and the child/children.
If I need a legally binding piece of paper to stay with some one with the rest of my life, then that's not love. If I stay with some one without it? That's love.
1. Men are all untrustworthy.
2. Only men can be unfaithful.
3. Marriage is the only way to make sure that it doesn't happen.
4. Marriage somehow makes you a better parent.
5. Not getting married.. leads to disaster..?
look what I learned on Sodahead today.
I don't think anyone could argue that insufficient income etc. is not detrimental to the long term well being of any child. In some cases the end result can certainly be disastrous, boys tend to turn to crime more often and girls tend to become unwed mothers themselves often at a very early age. Sometimes the parents give up too easily instead of working on saving their relationship. So they go through life bouncing from one dysfunctional relationship to the next. That doesn't seem like a terribly happy prospect for anyone.
In todays society, people cheat.. and even if men do so more often, generally I find it takes two to tango. What led that man to cheat? Are there other issues going on in the relationship? Dragging a guy into a relationship isn't going to keep him from being himself - if men are going to cheat.. well they are going to cheat. I don't need some legal or religious document to assure me that my partner won't break our agreed trust with each other.
But do you truly believe that most people who have a child out-of-wedlock will actually be good, effective parents?
(Side note: Please don't use ALL CAPS. It's like you are shouting.)
PAPA AND I HAVE 4 KIDS, 4 GRANDS AND ONE GREAT GRAND. WE PREFER HAPPILY MARRIED COUPLES WITH CHILDREN, BUT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN. WHAT'S BEST IS THAT THE INNOCENT CHILDREN WHO HAD NOTHING TO TO WITH THE CREATION OF LIFE DO NOT SUFFER. THE ONE BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK IN OUR FAMILY HAS PLENTY OF PEOPLE GIVING HER OUTSTANDING SUPPORT. ..IT CAN BE DONE!
RE: THE CHILD - YES, SOME CHILDREN ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A STRONG EXTENDED FAMILY SAFETY NET. HOWEVER, STATISTICALLY CHILDREN OF UNWED PARENTS TEND TO DO LESS WELL THAN THEIR PEERS IN SCHOOL AND TEND TO HAVE MORE BRUSHES WITH THE LAW. THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE.
This is how my brother and his girlfriend live right now with my nephew. We were raised, I guess, in a more "classic" way get married, have sex, THEN if you want have kids. My brother is all over the place... much to my parents dismay.
there are lots of competent and loving parents out there who aren't married and also lots of married couples who provide a vile environment to raise a child in.