Cohabitation

Lately we have been discussing finding a mate and marriage. On Friday we talked a little about cohabitation. It is now considered norm, over half Americans cohabitate before marriage. I know a few people who cohabitate especially those I graduated with. And I've always thought that if I wasn't Mormon and didn't have the knowledge and standards I do then I would probably cohabitate with a significant other (shhhh) But on Friday I learned some statistics about cohabitation that I would've never suspected. For Example...

Cohabitating Couples...

• have higher divorce rates (among those who later marry)
• have lower quality of relationships
• there is a greater risk of abuse
• have greater instability
• have less sex and it is less satisfying (that one is kind of a shocker eh?)
• Increased substance abuse and decreased education

So really it's not the best way to go about things! Many people believe it's the best way to decide if a marriage will succeed when in reality cohabitating before marriage could weaken the marriage. This could result from the establishment of patterns. Often whatever patterns a couple has before marriage they will keep in marriage. Therefore it is important to discuss habits and patterns and make a plan for how to implement new patterns.

There is a little information that I have learned the past couple days. And now, with the knowledge I have gained, I have come to realize how important marriage really is and also the courtship process.