As a result of this view on marriage, America is seeing more single mothers having children and the divorce rates continue to rise rapidly.
Because of this, many more children in America are living in poor conditions. In single parent homes, approximately three out of four families are living with children in poor conditions, according to an article in The Foundry.
“Over a third of single parent families with children are poor, compared to only seven percent of married families,” The Heritage Foundation reports. “Overall, children in married families are 82 percent less likely to be poor than are children of single parents.”
Now, this is not to say that there are not any married families in the United States living in poverty. Approximately 29 percent of poor families with children are married. Our economy continues to decline, so there are many people struggling with finances today. However, these reports show that a huge way to decrease child poverty in America is to promote marriage.
This is not to say that single parents are bad parents or that they do not work tirelessly to take care of their children. They absolutely do! They work extremely hard as they have to act as both father and mother to their children.
However, reports show that many unwed parents also acknowledge that they are in favor of marriage. They are in full support of having two parents, who are married, for a child. They would appreciate the extra hand, and the additional income would help with the financial burdens that come with having children.
When there is the added financial and relational support in a family with married parents, children are less likely to grow up in an under privileged and poor atmosphere.
Not only does this scenario give more security financially, it also represents a healthy lifestyle to children as they are growing up. They can see their mother and father in a committed marriage, which can help them have a positive outlook on family and marriage as they get older.
While this isn’t the case for 100 percent of married, American families, most households that consist of both parents who are married to one another can provide two incomes to financially support their children. They also have the ability to provide a great emotional support system from both mother and father.
These factors that are found in married families assist in reducing the likeliness of a child living in poor conditions.
Our society’s outlook on marriage has continued to be distorted, but it is shown through these statistics and concepts that a family with married parents produces a more positive outcome for children.
Ultimately, as Christians, we should view marriage as a binding, loving union—and we shouldn’t just believe it but live as examples of this. God created marriage and families as a gift, and we should treat them as such. Marriage is a union that not only unites and supports spouses, but also children.
By committing to marriage before having children, the amount of children living in poor conditions can be reduced—providing a better life and future for each boy and girl.