Changes in the Family Norm: Cohabitation

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Changes in the Family Norms: Cohabitation Definations of Family Three Main Classifications: General classification: “Two or more people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption.” Nuclear Family: “ A household consisting of a husband, wife, and their children”. Extended Family: “Nuclear Family plus one or more additional relatives”. (pg 210) Changes in the Traditional Family In 1960, 72 percent of all adults ages 18 and older were married; today just 51 percent are. In 2002, only 7 percent of all U.S. households consisted of married couples with children in which only the husband worked Twenty-two percent of first births from 2006 to 2010 were to women in a cohabiting couple, up from 12 percent in 2002, the study by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics said. Cohabitation A living arrangement in which an unmarried couple lives together in a long-term relationship that resembles a marriage Pros of Cohabitation Getting to know the living habits of your partner Spending more time with them Saving money on housing and bills Some consider it a trial run for marriage Cons of Cohabitation One partner may be expecting marriage, while the other is fine with Cohabiting Too much time together Finding out you are not compatible Less incentive to marry Arguments against Cohabitiation Experiences of Cohabiting Couples The Myths of Marriage “I have to be married to have children” “I’ll have someone to grow old with” “I’ll get regular sex” “It’s the proper/religious thing to do” Other Myths of Marriage You do not need to be married to buy a house together You can have a lifelong, faithful relationship without marriage You can raise a family together without marriage Why Couples Don’t Marry Weddings require lots of money Fear of an unequal relationship Feeling forced to stay in a job One partner refusing to work, esp. after

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