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We talked a while, and I remained as open-minded as possible. After all, occasionally even eighteen-year-olds can be surprisingly mature. But the truth became clear when I asked some specific questions, such as how David envisioned his life in ten years.
"I've always been good at art," he replied, "so I'll probably end up in the art field somewhere. But I'm not really sure what I'll choose to do for a career or where we might live or any of that. All I know is that if Cassandra and I are together, we'll be fine. We can make it through anything."
(Related:
Right age
for dating someone younger)
I was beginning to suspect this relationship was long on fantasy and short on reality. So I asked them both to describe
themselves, their strengths and weakness, their personalities, their style of
communication, and I received more vague responses. They fumbled for answers and always returned to their "love-will-see-us-through" theme.
Finally I said to them, "Look, as a psychologist I try to tell the truth as clearly as I know how, and the truth is this: All those warm, tender feelings you have for each other are important and necessary for marriage. But it's even more important for you to know who you are as individuals, to be clear about where you want to go in life before you
make a commitment as critical and all-encompassing as
marriage."
Naturally, my truth-telling didn't sit well with these starry-eyed lovers. But I had to give it to them straight. The fact is, whenever a couple in their early twenties or younger comes to me and declares their plans to marry, a neon sign in my mind flashes Danger! I know the divorce rate for couples under twenty is incredibly high (between 80 and 85%). Social scientists have found that people who marry young are seldom prepared for marital roles.
(Related:
Life after
marriage for men who marry early)
So how old should two people be when they marry? That depends on many factors-maturity level, ability to earn a living, progress in education, and so on. But we can say for sure that, statistically, marriages seem to be much more stable when they begin no earlier than the mid-twenties. As a matter of fact, a recent study indicates that the most stable marriages of all have a "starting date" of twenty-eight years of age. In their book, Marriage and the Family, researchers Marcia and Tom Lasswell conclude: "Divorce rates are lowest for men and women who marry for the first time at age 28 or later. The chances for a stable marriage increase as both partners reach the age of 30 and then the rates level off." (Related:
How to
sign a prenup agreement)
At the heart of the issue is this: Young people can't select a
marriage partner effectively if they don't know themselves well. Until they can identify themselves in a precise and detailed way, they are in no position to identify the person to move through life with them. In our culture, the identifying process usually requires most of the first twenty-five to twenty-eight years of life. Identity formation is incomplete until individuals have emotionally separated from their parents and discovered the details of their own uniqueness. Prior to their mid-twenties, most young adults haven't defined their goals and needs. They haven't had time to learn to be independent. They haven't yet "grown into themselves." They simply need more life experience. (Related:
How to marry your
boyfriend) |
