Often times, teens rush into marriage believing that everything will be perfect. However, more than half of these teens experience negative consequences and realize that marrying at such a young age was not the best idea. Skyrocketing divorce rates and other effects such as poverty are evidence of this. Although there are overwhelming amounts of teens for which marriage does not work out, there are some teens who find marriage as a positive choice.
Divorce rates are high for people at any age, but they are especially high for teens. 50%-60% of teens who marry divorce within the first fifteen years of marriage opposed to one third of people who get married when they are over the age of twenty. Even more specifically within the teenage range, a girl who marries at 17 is twice as likely to become divorced as a girl who marries between the ages of 18 and 19.
Also, marrying as a teen can lead to poverty. Teens who marry gain a lot of responsibility that they are not old enough or mature enough to handle. These teens usually move out of their house and can't support themselves and their new family which drives them into debt. In order to pay for their debt, teens are forced to get jobs which causes them to spend less time focusing on their education. This leads to decreased educational attainment because teens have too much to handle.
In contrast, teenage marriage yields positive effects for some. If teens marry because they are having a child, even if the teens divorce the father may be more involved in his son or daughters life. The act of marriage may cause him to feel an attachment to the mother and the child that he wouldn't otherwise. For teens who stay married, they are able to begin their life filled with happiness at a young age and don't have to wait their whole life to find a partner.
Overall, after examining statistics and possible outcomes of teenage marriage the negative effetcs seem to outweigh the positive. For most, teen marriage does not seem like a wise choice.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Teenage Marriage Laws
When a teen decides to marry it is the first step of a very long and difficult process. Many teens are under the impression that marriage is the same at any age but, in reality it is exactly the opposite. With strict laws already in place and new marriage laws coming about it is becoming more difficult for teens to marry every year. This is just another reason why teen marriage appears to be a bad idea.
In the United States all but one state requires teens to be at least 18 to marry without parental permission. Even if a teen is pregnant, which is why most teens marry, they need permission from a court. In the case of teens who are 16 or under they need both parental permission and permission from a court. This makes it very difficult for younger teens to marry because it is unlikely that both a parent and court would approve of their decision.
Some states are more strict than the others. For example, in Illinois if a teen is 16 or 17 years of age, they will have to provide a copy of their birth certificate along with another form of identification to show their date of birth in order to obtain a marriage license; in addition to a verbal consent from their parent to marry in front of the judge in court. The guardian will need to show identification and guardianship papers as well. If a teen is under the age of 16 they are not allowed to marry in the state if Illinois at all.
Another exception is the state of Nebraska which sets the marriage age at 19. Also, the states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, and Oklahoma allow teens who have already had a child to marry without parental consent.
Teen marriage laws have an effect on the behaviors of teens and teens who want to marry bad enough are always finding ways around these laws. For example, some young people marry outside their state of residence, in states with laws that are not as strict and some teens even write an age other than their own on their marriage certificate.
However, teenage marriage laws are in most cases a successful attempt at preventing teens from making a huge mistake.
In the United States all but one state requires teens to be at least 18 to marry without parental permission. Even if a teen is pregnant, which is why most teens marry, they need permission from a court. In the case of teens who are 16 or under they need both parental permission and permission from a court. This makes it very difficult for younger teens to marry because it is unlikely that both a parent and court would approve of their decision.
Some states are more strict than the others. For example, in Illinois if a teen is 16 or 17 years of age, they will have to provide a copy of their birth certificate along with another form of identification to show their date of birth in order to obtain a marriage license; in addition to a verbal consent from their parent to marry in front of the judge in court. The guardian will need to show identification and guardianship papers as well. If a teen is under the age of 16 they are not allowed to marry in the state if Illinois at all.
Another exception is the state of Nebraska which sets the marriage age at 19. Also, the states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, and Oklahoma allow teens who have already had a child to marry without parental consent.
Teen marriage laws have an effect on the behaviors of teens and teens who want to marry bad enough are always finding ways around these laws. For example, some young people marry outside their state of residence, in states with laws that are not as strict and some teens even write an age other than their own on their marriage certificate.
However, teenage marriage laws are in most cases a successful attempt at preventing teens from making a huge mistake.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Why Teens Marry
Most teens marry because they become pregnant and then feel as if marriage is the right thing to do. Many feel that teens are not mature enough to get married at an age as young as 17 and begin their life rasing a family. However, studies have shown that the upside to teen marriage is that if a teen marries and then stays married she will increase the odds that her and her child will do well in terms of income, health, and well being. This will also help reduce the odds that her son or daughter will end up in jail or drop out of high school. Marriage is often driven by duty, moral obligation, fidelity to community, and by keeping faith within one's family.
Some teens feel the need to get married even if they are not pregnant. Many teens fail to see the challenges of marriage and find marriage to be natural and easy. Many teens get caught up in love and don't look to the future. The passion of youth, the hormones, the obsessive love, the I can't live without you obsession is more evident in the teen age years than at any other time in one's life. This is what causes teens to want to jump into marriage right away.
A perfect example of teenage love, pregnancy, and the desire to be married is that of Sarah Plain's daughter, Bristol Palin. Bristol Plain claims that even before she became pregnant her and her boyfriend, Levi Johnston, planned to marry. Although she is only 17, she claimed that they were truly in love and wanted to spend their life together. Once Bristol became pregnant, her family's morals about pregnancy and marriage played a big role in to her decision to marry Levi. Her pregnancy is what moved the idea of marriage in her life forward more quickly than it would have typically without the pregnancy. However, shortly after the wedding was announced Bristol and her boyfriend broke up, calling off the wedding. This is a visible indication that marriage may not be the best idea for teens. Bristol and Levi are already experiencing marriage problems before they have even tied the knot.
Some teens feel the need to get married even if they are not pregnant. Many teens fail to see the challenges of marriage and find marriage to be natural and easy. Many teens get caught up in love and don't look to the future. The passion of youth, the hormones, the obsessive love, the I can't live without you obsession is more evident in the teen age years than at any other time in one's life. This is what causes teens to want to jump into marriage right away.
A perfect example of teenage love, pregnancy, and the desire to be married is that of Sarah Plain's daughter, Bristol Palin. Bristol Plain claims that even before she became pregnant her and her boyfriend, Levi Johnston, planned to marry. Although she is only 17, she claimed that they were truly in love and wanted to spend their life together. Once Bristol became pregnant, her family's morals about pregnancy and marriage played a big role in to her decision to marry Levi. Her pregnancy is what moved the idea of marriage in her life forward more quickly than it would have typically without the pregnancy. However, shortly after the wedding was announced Bristol and her boyfriend broke up, calling off the wedding. This is a visible indication that marriage may not be the best idea for teens. Bristol and Levi are already experiencing marriage problems before they have even tied the knot.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
History of Teenage Marriage
There has been a history of teenage marriage dating back to ancient Greece. Marriage in 200 B.C. was not out of love but was for self interest of the daughter's family. A family would marry their daughter off for political reasons such as to move up in social class, economic reasons, and to keep the bloodline going. Young girls between the ages of fourteen and eighteen had no choice but to follow through with their parent's arranged marriage plans. A girl was usually sold for dowry to a reasonably young male in his early twenties or thirties.
As time progressed, teenage marriage continued. in the middle ages more than 3/4 of women married before the age of nineteen. Marriage was practiced to seal political ties and gain wealth for families especially in the upper classes. In some extreme cases girls were engaged between the ages of six and seven and were married by fourteen.
From a historical perspective, teenage marriages were common. These marriages were encouraged and considered normal all the way up until the 1800's where they were still practiced. However, in today's society teenage marriage is discouraged and not readily accepted not only in the United States but in various countries around the world. The motivations for these marriages are similar in some cases to ancient times but mostly different. Teenage marriage today, in 2010, tends to be out of love. But what was the cause for this change in mindset and practice?
As time progressed, teenage marriage continued. in the middle ages more than 3/4 of women married before the age of nineteen. Marriage was practiced to seal political ties and gain wealth for families especially in the upper classes. In some extreme cases girls were engaged between the ages of six and seven and were married by fourteen.
From a historical perspective, teenage marriages were common. These marriages were encouraged and considered normal all the way up until the 1800's where they were still practiced. However, in today's society teenage marriage is discouraged and not readily accepted not only in the United States but in various countries around the world. The motivations for these marriages are similar in some cases to ancient times but mostly different. Teenage marriage today, in 2010, tends to be out of love. But what was the cause for this change in mindset and practice?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)