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Family Trends

Welcome to my very first post! I would like to start by mentioning a few quick things about myself to set the stage for what can be expected moving forward. I am currently a full-time student studying Marriage and Family Studies and this blog was created as a requirement for one of my classes, family relations. Here is where I will be sharing my thoughts and insights regarding what I am learning. I would also like to mention that I am an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such, much of my content will also reflect my religious views and values. It is my hope that we can learn from one another, so please feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what it is that you think and/or believe. I would love to hear and learn from you, so let’s get started!


On September 23, 1995, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement titled, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” which details and explains the church’s stance on the family and their critical role in God’s plan. In this proclamation, it states:


The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. … Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

To read the full proclamation, click here.


The standard of the Lord has been set regarding families, yet in this ever-changing world, there are more and more trends that are affecting it. (Also, worth noting, when I say “family” --unless otherwise stated-- I am referring to my view of the traditional family, consisting of a husband, wife, and children.) Here I have chosen just two trends (of many) that I wanted to touch on and explain, which I think are making a significant impact on the family.


Trend #1: Premarital Sex

Not much explanation is needed with this one, couples are participating in sexual relations outside of the bonds of marriage. This is a trend that has almost always existed, one that research shows is quite common, even in students just at the high school age. The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches a way of preventing this trend, with something called “The Law of Chastity.” This law teaches to abstain from sexual relations before one is in the legal bonds of marriage. What I appreciate about The Law of Chastity is that it entails more than just staying away from premarital sex, but the things that could potentially lead to it as well. (Things such as passionate kissing, laying on top of another person, or touching the private parts of another person above or below the clothing.)


Read about The Law of Chastity by clicking here.


Trend #2: Delayed Marriage

This is a trend I believe is becoming ever more common and popular right now. It can be easily defined as when someone is making the choice to put off marriage, most often because of the unwillingness to “settle down” and the desire for “freedom.” I can especially see this among my fellow college students. I have spoken to many who claim that they must have the “full college experience” (whatever that really means) before even thinking about committing to someone and settling down. A couple of things I found quite interesting about this trend is that it consisted highly of people who spend part (or all) of their childhood without a father in the home and that generally, women with a higher level of education marry at a later age. I personally believe, and many leaders of the church have taught, that an honorable marriage is much more important than one’s status, wealth, or position. This isn’t to say that we must rush to get married, but rather that it should be a prioritized goal that we are working towards instead of putting off.


As I mentioned before, these are just two trends of the many that exist. Can you think of some others that could be affecting the family, especially during these times? (I can list a few more such as cohabitation before marriage, births to unmarried women, and divorce rates.) It is important to acknowledge these trends because when the family is affected, so is the community. The family is the most essential unit of society, so let’s do our best to strengthen them together, what do you say!?


Thank you and congratulations for making it all the way to the end of this week’s post, especially since it’s just the first one! I am looking forward to sharing with you again next week, so until then…


Stay Golden!

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