subject: No One Wants To Be Alone [print this page] No One Wants To Be Alone No One Wants To Be Alone
The Pew Research Center announcedrecently that one in three American children is living with a parent who is divorced, separated or has never been married. What is that communicating to our children? Well at the least it is suggesting a changing picture of what being a family looks like. Remember if that is what you have known, it becomes your "normal".
One of my children's best friends grew up in a wonderful single parent family where the parent provided love, structure, rituals, and the resources as best they could. In fact my child loved spending time with her friend at that loving home. Most of our family friends are still in intact marriages but that is not the norm today. So where is this all headed?
The Pew Research report said that39 per cent of Americans say that marriage is becoming obsolete. The US Census Bureau data in September 2010 reported that marriages have hit an all time low of52 per cent for adults eighteen and older. Yet the Pew research further said that67 percent were still upbeat about the future of marriage and family.About half of all unmarried adults say they want to get married and among those living together 69 percent want to walk down the aisle.We may have to wait to see how this shakes down as the variations on living together have their trial.
In the meantime what I know for sure is that no one really wants to be alone. Love, companionship, shared experiences, sex with a loving and regular safe partner, mutual deep understanding, and shared joy are irreplaceable. Whatever form the nuclear family takes today, certain needs still exist. People living together want commitment, communication on all levels, resolving of differences and perspective, ongoing appreciation, love and building a life together with meaning andsatisfaction. If this happens in these different types of households, maybe the children will still be okay.
Afterall, we all don't want to be alone. www.kathyinfeld.com
