“Research shows that about 45 percent of youth in the U.S. now spend some time without a biological parent by late adolescence.” And for children from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups, the numbers are even higher.
A sociologist from Princeton University states: “If we were asked to design a system for making sure that children’s basic needs were met, we would probably come up with something quite similar to the two-parent ideal. Such a design, in theory would not only ensure that children had access to the time and money of two adults, it also would provide a system of checks and balances that promoted quality parenting.”
As author/speaker Josh McDowell points out, research shows that generally there are advantages for children who are raised by married parents:
- They enjoy strong relationships with their parents.
- They benefit from better health.
- They show less aggression.
- They are less likely to experience physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
- They are far less likely to live in poverty.
- They do better academically.
- They earn more as adults
There are two practical take-a-ways from this report. First, while marriage can be challenging (for some that may be an understatement), if at all possible – we concretely demonstrate love for our children when we can figure out how to best love their other parent. Second, if we are already divorced, the best thing we can do for our kids is to learn how to cooperatively co-parent effectively.
Most all of us love our children dearly. So, whether we are married or divorced, our kids can benefit when we are intentional about addressing their greatest needs – having two loving parents actively engaged in providing for their emotional, physical, and financial welfare.