Forty percent (that's nearly half) of the children are born outside of marriage. Read here how it undermines marriage, family, and the children. They are the biggest losers in all of this.
It used to be that a *normal* family was made up of a father, mother and children, sometimes grandparents. Our society takes many measures to normalize abnormal behavior to the extent that some of the magazines I write for encourage showing this (so that children of divorced parents will see themselves reflected in stories). This is very, very sad. I come from a broken home and the effects still reverberate.
I want my children to be good. I want them to have compassion for those who are troubled. And I want them to know the difference between normal and abnormal. I do not want them to accept everything as normal because the world says so.
In my youth, I've been guilty of all the things that the Msgr. Charles Pope speaks of. My hope is that the next generation will embrace values to strengthen the family. It's no easy task.
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9 comments:
W-O-W. I had no idea it was that high!
I'm not surprised by those statistics. It really is sad that people don't think through the implications of having children.
There is a reason why it takes two people to make a baby. I do believe that single parents can raise children, but it is FAR harder to do this alone. I never realized how hard it was until I had my own children, but whenever childless single friends (usually women) tell me they want to have children whether or not they get married, I tell them The Truth, whether they want to hear it or not. When you've got a baby who won't stop crying; when you're running a 104 degree temperature and you've got a 6-year-old who's just thrown up; when you're pulling your hair out over a teenager who wants her tongue pierced -- that's when having a partner can make all the difference.
I didn't know the percentage was so high, either. So many single parent families - so much pain. God can use us to minister to those in such hard situations.
so true. thanks for sharing -- i too worry about the future for the upcoming generations.
big sigh.
best of luck with all you do :)
Interesting, no? Angela. It's one thing to be a single mom due to divorce but quite another due to choice. But better that than to have an abortion.
Mary, I know many single moms (fewer single dads). The truth is children NEED both a father and mother. Young women who think a baby is just cute, well, they only have half the picture!
Amen, Donna. My sister meets a lot of young women and she always encourages the cohabiting couples to marry and make that commitment to each other and to their children.
Thanks for stopping by Tahereh. I hope your generation will turn the pendulum back.
Vijay,
Thanks for sharing. Really saddened by the statistics of this post. Here's Hope and love to you.
On a different note, I've tagged you in my blog. Do write in:-)
Suma, thank you. Here's my meme: http://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/search/label/Five%20things%20meme
I also remember reading long ago that a VERY SMALL percentage (20% or less) of babies born to teen mothers were fathered by teenagers.
Also years ago (when it seemed almost all of my married friends were trying to have a baby without much luck)I remember reading that something like 75% of pregnancies were unintended (not UNwanted per se, but just not planned)
Both interesting stats, Angela.
The second stat is surprising because most women I know use some sort of birth control.
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