Why Millennials are getting married a little later than the previous generation.
Introduction
There is a potential problem brewing among millennials related to their getting settled in marriage and procreating. One of the ways of renewing the society and keeping it functional is through reproduction. One expects procreation to take place within a happy environment where the children feel a sense of belonging and security. A conducive family setting also enables individuals and couples to thrive in many ways. That concept of marriage and strong family ties is gradually declining in our society unless something is done about it. When values such as growing a family is on a downward trend, there is a need to raise awareness. While there is a caution of overpopulation in some areas, there are others where underpopulation gives cause for concern. Similarly, there may be an eventual impact in the society which one may not be able to tell presently. Impact such as increase in aging population in an area with less of the younger generation to keep the society as active as expected.
Each generation has its main characteristics. While some attributes are treasured and worth commending, others may give cause for concern. In this blog post, we will examine the reasons millennials seem to take longer than previous generations to settle down and get married. I will offer suggestions and brief research findings as well as some possible reasons for the findings. This post will also provide a link for those millennials who are interested in carrying the conversation forward in a group.
Disclaimer: Singleness is a great gift
This is not to castigate singles. Singleness is a beautiful thing and a worthy option. It is great to be single if one feels called to it. As a matter of fact, there is a goodness and beauty in being single when the individual knows that it is the best option for them. Singleness is a lifestyle that has its place in the society. For those who have been called to this lifestyle, we celebrate you and encourage you to enjoy it. I have also written an article on singleness and its beauty. If you would love to view that click here.
Millennials and their characteristics
Millennials, or members of Generation Y (also known as Gen Y) are those born between 1982 and 2000. Millennials have several laudable qualities that distinguish them. They are Tech-savvy which puts them in high demand within the work force. They are team oriented, loyal and committed. They love to be kept in the loop and they seek feedback to improve on what they do making them go getters.
At the same time, they tend to hop from one job to the other. These, and several other qualities that millennials possess, imply that work is a major part of their lives. With such commitments, many do not find time to build their own romantic relationships and families. They can just about find time to socialse with their existing family and friends on a general level.
What is the problem with this?
The potential problem around millennials settling into married life is that some are not interested in getting married early compared to the generation before them. Others may not be interested in getting married at all. Some others are interested in getting married and settling down but do not seem to find the right partner.
How could we be bold enough to make such assertion? According to Feuerman, women married averagely at 27 and men at 29 in 2018. But compared with the 1960s, the current trend reveals that the marriage age among millennials may drop by 70% in the coming years. This implies that millennials may be getting married around their 40s.[i]
In a similar finding PEW Research, argues that millennials are not likely to get married at early age. According to the findings, 57 percent have never been married compared to the generation before them. Based on their findings they opined those millennials would like to get married when they find the right partner.’[ii]
Some of the reasons for the research findings
There are quite a few factors that could throw more light onto the findings. We will be discussing them periodically.
The change in trends discussed above imply that millennials tend to consider marriage much later in life when other things seem to be in place. It means that in some cases career, the need to be fully settled such as having a desired house, car and other things in life take precedence over the desire to settle down and grow a family. One can also infer that their technological and social skills keep them within the virtual world instead of in the physical, present world where they get to meet and interact with people. This deprives them the opportunity to interact and build traditional friendships that may result in marriage.
Additionally, the challenges of an increase in divorce rates could be a factor that subtly hinders millennials from actively considering marriage. These, and many more, are factors that we would be discussing in the millennial forum on this platform.
Conclusion
We have hinted at some of the challenges that millennials have briefly in this blog post. We have indicated that millennials are busy with great things which could distract them from other aspects of life.One of these delays is having a family of their own. While this does not speak to all millennials, we invite those interested to a forum for discussion if they wish to carry this discussion forward. If you would like to participate and get to meet other millennials, please complete the form below, click here. Please feel free to engage in this conversation whether you are a millennial or not.
[i]Marni Feuerman The State of Millennials and Marriage in Everywellmind September 20, 2020, Accesses December 25, 2020
[ii] Fry R. and Igielnik R How Millennials today compare with their grandparents 50 years ago. Pew Research MARCH 16, 2018 ACESSES DECEMBER 25, 2020
How Millennials today compare with their grandparents 50 years ago
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