From TODAY, Voices
Tuesday December 9, 2008
By Dr James Dobson
Many studies are showing now that instability in the marital relationship has a profound effect on children. For example, researchers at the Oregon Social Learning Centre tracked the behaviour of 201 school boys who lived in higher crime areas. They found that the boys who had sexual intercourse at an early age tended to be those who had experienced two or more parental transitions, divorce, remarriage, or re-partnering. Only 18 per cent of those promiscuous boys came from intact families. By contrast, 57 per cent of the virgins came from homes where divorce had not occurred.
A similar study found that a strong correlation existed between young women who bore babies out of wedlock and those who had been through a change in family structure while growing up. In study after study, we see that divorce, single parenting, and disruption are unhealthy for children.
This is not to criticise anyone in those circumstances, but we cannot deny that intact, two-parent families are the healthiest for kids, and contribute to a stable society. Our public policies and our tax laws should favour and encourage family stability.
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