As promised, more great Benefits of Marriage in terms of the Family and for all involved – men, women and children.  The family has certainly been proven to be the bedrock of society throughout time and history and as goes the family so goes the rest of a civilization. At the cornerstone of the family is the institution of Marriage and as goes marriage so goes the family.  I will not insult your intelligence by specifically connecting the dots between marriage and a healthy culture, society or civilization!  You can ‘do the logic’ and understand why it’s so important for marriage to be supported at every level of society.  Just look at all the wonderful benefits for the Family summarized here from the Why Marriage Matters study (http://www.americanvalues.org/html/r-wmm.html) as well as what the studies found marriage to be and not to be with regard to relationships and family:

• Marriage increases the likelihood that fathers and mother have good relationships with their children
• Cohabitation is not the functional equivalent of marriage.
• Growing up outside an intact marriage increases the likelihood that children will themselves divorce or become unwed parents.
• Marriage is a virtually universal human institution.
• Marriage, and a normative commitment to marriage, foster high-quality relationships between adults, as well as between parent and children.
• Marriage has important biosocial consequences for adults and children.

How’s that for some pretty compelling evidence and benefits!?!  Thanks again and we’ll be back soon with more great info on Marriage!