Married couples are more likely than unmarried parents to have their children live together as teenagers – as almost half of 14-year-olds do not live with both their parents.
About half of first-born children no longer lived with both parents at age 14, but 84 percent still lived with married parents in a stable household.
Married couples are more likely to stay together until their children reach adolescence than unmarried ones, a report has found.
An analysis of a long-running survey of British children born at the turn of the millennium has revealed a ‘depressing picture’ of family breakdown, researchers say.
The Marriage Foundation think-tank found that by the time they turn 14, nearly half (46 percent) of first-born children no longer live with both their parents.
Of these, 19 percent of teenagers were born to single parents, 14 percent had divorced parents, and another 13 percent had divorced parents.
But there is a stark divide among the 54 percent who are still in stable households. Data from the Millennium Cohort Study, which followed 18,000 families, found that the vast majority (84 percent) of parents who were still together were married, while only 16 percent were single.
A report found that married couples are more likely than unmarried couples to stay together until their children are teenagers.
Report author Harry Benson, from the Marriage Foundation, said his research showed ‘the simple fact that marriage matters’.
She added: ‘Marriage provides clarity in relationships and encourages good things like sacrifice and forgiveness, which are so important when children are involved.
This is why couples who tie the knot are more stable and more likely to face the challenges that life throws at them.’
Think-tank founder Sir Paul Coleridge said: ‘Every experienced parent knows that teenagers need a safe and stable family environment to successfully navigate the scary teenage years.
If you want to enjoy the rich rewards of enjoying your children to the fullest…marrying the other parent is an important first step.’
Share or comment on this article:
Read Full News Here