Challenges With Young Marriages
Many young couples rush to marry because they believe they're ready for the long-term commitment. Unfortunately, according to Divorce Rate (divorcerate.org), young couples are at a higher risk for divorce than couples who marry later in life. While there are exceptions, a large percentage of young married couples face more issues in their marriage including financial burdens, family pressure and even maturity issues.
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Divorce Rates
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According to Divorce Rate, women in America younger than the age of 25 are more likely to divorce their husbands than any other age group, at the time of publication. The divorce rate for women under 20 years of age is 27.6 percent. For women ages 20 to 24 years old, the divorce rate is significantly higher at 36.6 percent. The likelihood of divorce declines after the age of 24 for both men and women. As a result, it is safe to say that individuals who marry at a young age are at a higher risk of divorce than those who wait to marry.
Psychological Maturity
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While an individual may feel ready for marriage and the connection that he longs for, he may soon find that he didn't truly know himself at the time of marriage. According to Dr. Allison Conner, clinical psychologist and director of Cognitive Therapy Associates, an individual who marries before the age of 27 may still be forming his adult identity. If he marries beforehand, he may realize later that he is not the same person he was when he married. This could cause distance between himself and his partner, and quite possibly lead to rifts in the relationship. Someone who marries while still in school may also find that marriage has caused him to miss out on many experiences that would have otherwise been a chance to grow. This could cause resentment or unhappiness in the relationship.
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Family Pressure
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Young couples may find that they still rely on their parents for emotional security, and sometimes the parents do not agree with the marriage. This creates tension within the family, especially if a couple relies on the parents financially. Parents may begin to dictate what is done with the money, how much should be saved and ultimately have a say so in your relationship. As a result, conflict will arise. A new bride may feel torn between her family and her spouse when he expresses his distaste for her family's intrusion. It becomes even more difficult when she relies on her parents for emotional support and they continue to express their dissatisfaction with her choice in a partner.
Financial Security
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Financial problems are one of the most difficult aspects of a marriage. If the couple is not financially stable, deciding how and what to spend money on becomes a problem. Saving money also becomes an issue. Young couples may find that they do not have enough money to get by and this could certainly lead to strain and stress in the relationship. They may also find that time is cut short with one another as they both work to obtain degrees and secure job positions. It is very important that young couples learn how one another handles money so that they may come to an agreement on who handles what and create a budget that should be followed. Liabilities such as grocery bills, utilities, mortgage payments or rent, cell phone bills and things of that nature are all dangerous to incur in large sums. Sometimes young couples find that they are bringing more debt into their lives when marrying a partner who demands to live a lavish lifestyle despite not having the financial means to do so.
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References
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