The Changing American Family
Compared to the past, the recent American family has changed remarkably its attitude to married life. Women give birth at a mature age, and many adults now recorded to be single. The married couples also give birth to a few children, and single individuals both men and women get children out of marriage. Those family trends in the US, as well as increasing levels of divorces, confirm that marriage has lost meaning or value to citizens. This clearly shows that the government pays very little attention to marriage (DeSilver, 2013; Livingston & Cohn, 2013).
Promoting Marriage by the US Government
The US government should intervene and employ the most effective measures to promote the institution of marriage. The government should join hands with other think tanks to set laws, administrative regulations, and allocate budgetary financing to fund marriage promotions and parenthood programs. Thus, they should create awareness, inform, and influence the US citizens to value marriage.
The funds can be used in public advertising campaigns and institutional education programs that promote the values of marriage. This can help in informing, creating awareness, and influencing the US citizens to appreciate marriage institution. Students and the young generation can be prepared for marriage and take it positively because of the value of marriage instilled in them through the educational programs in schools (Livingston & Cohn, 2013).
The government funds can also be invested in marriage education for the non-married individuals. Most adults, particularly those who are not married, end up as single parents. The existence of marriage licenses in the US is impractical in protecting interpersonal relationships. Children born out of wedlock are denied inheritance rights, parental support, and legal support because their parents are not married (Coontz, 2007).
In other words, the US government should find ways to ensure that prolonged inter-relationships of individuals are considered as marriage and not just mere relationships. This can ensure that people get into relationships that lead to marriage rather than taking advantage of each other without considering the security of their children when they separate. This can be achieved if the government formulates or enacts laws that favor married individuals compared to unmarried individuals.
The US government should also fund premarital learning programs, and life skills training for couples intending to get married. The same should be extended to individuals who have an interest in getting married. The increase in divorce cases in the US is a result of people lacking skills in handling their married lives. The partners are likely to stay together for their entire lives if education and skills on how couples should treat each other is provided. The premarital education and marriage skills training must be designed in a manner that influences couples to value marriage. The funds should also go to married couples programs to enhance their marriage and gain marriage skills (Himmelfarb, 1996). This way, the government can achieve its intention of making its citizens value the institution of marriage.
Notably, programs that minimize divorce and educate married couples on relationship skills should be considered by the US government. This can still lead to a reduction in divorce cases, and instill marriage values among the US citizens. The budgeted funds should also be allocated to marriage mentoring initiatives, which use married individuals as guides or advisors in communities with a high risk of divorce cases. In this case, Americans will learn to value marriage. The government should promote marriage and criticize divorce and single parenting cases that increase poverty and hardship in single-parent families (Coontz, 2007).
References
Coontz, S. (2007). Taking Marriage Private. The New York Times, 23. Web.
DeSilver, D. (2013). What’s behind the falling teen birth rates? Web.
Himmelfarb, G. (1996). Second Thoughts On Civil Society. The Weekly Standard. 1. Web.
Livingston, G & Cohn, D. (2013). Record Share of New Mothers Are College Educated. Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends. Web.