Why Bother?

It appears that more and more couples are choosing partnering rather than marriage. A Census Bureau report in 2003 shows that for the first time that the majority of first children are born to unmarried women. Although the report is from the U.S., this seems to be trend throughout the world.

Some researchers believe that things haven't really changed all that much because female-headed households were very common in the past. These women were usually alone due to the death of their spouse. Today's women are unmarried, not necessarily alone, due to divorce or by choice.

So why are couples deciding not to marry? Every study we looked at listed many reasons, but the ones that made several lists include:

• Women are not as happy as they were a few years ago.
• The economic independence of women.
• Women are more picky about whom and when they marry.
• Sex and childbearing have been distanced from marriage.
• People have less faith in the institution of marriage.
• Social attitudes toward love, freedom, and marriage have changed.