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06/15/2016
Dr. Laura:
My husband and I just gave a class on dating and marriage to young, single adults ages 18 to 30. We addressed the issues of why young people aren't getting married. The first issue is a growing pessimism about marriage and a focus on personal independence before and after marriage. They see so many failed marriages and wonder if it's even a real thing to be "happily married."
The second issue is a primary focus on personal financial independence for both men and women. They think you must have personal independence and a lot of money to afford to be married or have children. They don't think about working together to get through any tough times.
Third, there's widespread sexual permissiveness and high rates of couples "shacking up" before marriage, even though shack up couples are more likely to get divorced.
The young adults in the class actually agreed with these, but they don't know how to date anymore. They just "hang out." But if you're looking for a person to marry, it has to be face to face, one on one - texting doesn't count. And you have to build the relationship and see if he or she is a good match. This all sounds old-fashioned, but our life experience has taught us some things these young adults don't see. Thank you Dr. Laura for all you do to bring morality, sanity, and a bit of good humor to us every day.
Suzanne
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