Societal Trends

Some items of interest from the reading and today's class:

1. It's not that half the population's marriages end in divorce, it's that some people get divorced several times and so it messes up the statistics. The statistic (whether accurate or not) that over half of today's marriages end in divorce has always been a bit frightening to me, but I never really considered the people that have been married and divorced multiple times.
2. An increased number of people living alone could result in increased loneliness, unhappiness and depression, which means an increased number of people taking anti-depressants (which is good for the LEGAL drug dealers like me)
3. I think it's sad when single moms decide to have children on their own (although I can certainly understand wanting children and not being able to find the right guy) because I think it's so important for children to have a mother and a father. Not just a mother and a father but parents that are active participants in the lives of their children, apart from just dropping them off and picking them up from daycare. I grew up with a mostly stay-at-home mom and my dad was usually home for the evening meal and for bedtime and I'm beginning to realize how rare that situation is and I consider myself truly blessed.
4. From the reading I thought it was interesting and a little bit alarming that if the current trend of decreasing birth rates continues the U.S. population will decrease (without immigration that is)
5. I liked on page 17 of the text when it talked about "a satisfying marriage provides you with a built-in support system to help you deal with the varied challenges and struggles of your life". I haven't experienced this yet but I look forward to having someone to be there for and who will be there for me and our children during the good times and the rough patches of life.