Monday, February 19, 2018

To Marry or Not to Marry?


Mass media and the experience of young people towards married life is not positive. Young people are exposed to this negativity from an early age and it shouldn't be a surprise they don't see married life as beneficial. They know about failures, unhappiness in many marriages and the difficulties faced. Surveys and polls have given us the reflections of the young which are not a harbinger of a better future.
 

The understanding of marriage and children is not clear to many of the young. Over 4 out of ten don't see any need to have children. The survey of 7,676  young people was written up in the Catholic Peace Weekly. The Ministry of Gender and Equality and Family announced the results that were conducted with 13-24 year-old young people: taken every 3 years to make policy.

In 2012, 73.2% said there was a need for marriage; in the last survey 51% saw a need and 49% saw no need. Even if married 46.1% saw no need for children and this was higher for the girls. Last year there was a decrease of 12 percent from the previous year in the number of births.
 

Since they have determined that it takes about 300 thousand dollars to raise a child, we are seeing a drop in the birth rate and the reason the young are frightened of having children and distancing themselves from the teaching of the church.

The church needs to educate the young to have a  positive understanding of marriage and children that is more than an empty echo from afar. At the same time raising our voices to change the structures and culture that make it difficult to raise a family.
 

The number of young people who talked with their mothers for 30 minutes or more a day was 72.9% and their fathers were 41.1 %. About 2 out 10 spent little time in leisure activities with the parents. 27% ate the evening meal with their parents.
 

52% of adolescents felt a need for full support from their parents until they graduated from college. In job selection the young consistently indicate their abilities and aptitudes are the most important, followed by job security, unlike the past when economic income was important.
 

In their daily lives, 91.6 % experienced stress. This is a slight increase from three years ago. Over 80 % have received private education during the past year and this has increased from the previous year:  average is about 9 hours and 26 minutes a week.
 

The survey should help to make policy and also show the church where programs and education will be necessary for the future.