Marriage between teenagers

Marriage and Its Importance

Marriage is a legally binding union of two persons of opposite sexes in which the two become biologically one. It is a good thing, but people should marry for the right reasons, and being involved in a marriage for the wrong reasons increases the likelihood of the marriage failing. Marriage is a blessing from Heaven because God created man and woman in his image to be there for each other. God made a man and gave him a wife in the form of a woman, and He rewarded them with the power to fill and subdue the world. It is, however, a duty, and the two people must remain loyal and faithful before death divides them. Marriage is the most basic and important social relationship of mankind and it is the foundation of a family unit. However various rules have been adopted in running a family and it has helped much when it comes to handling family challenges.

The Causes and Effects of Teenage Marriage

Today there is an increased number of early marriages and this has led to the emergence of divorce and instability in marriage. Due to a high rate of divorce in early marriages in the current generation it as therefore called for extreme importance on looking into the major cause of the problem. Many teenagers have been into marriage not because they are willing to or ready for it but because some circumstances force them to get into it. The idea of getting into early marriage by teenagers is indeed not wise because it makes them take part in various things which might ruin their lives. Marriage between teens is indeed complicated and it faces a lot of challenges which then strangle the marriage when it overwhelms it. Child marriage is a violation of human rights which prevents a child from obtaining full education levels, optimal health, socializing with peers of their own age and choosing partners of their own life when the right time comes. There are however many factors which have led to teenagers getting into marriage (Altonji, 2230).

Teenagers’ Perception of Love and Influences

Most teenagers are in love and they think that marriage is all about love. Sometimes they do not get to know what love really is, they do not realize that having a crush on someone is not being in love. Teenagers can be driven by their own desires to get married; some can get married to someone because he is popular, rich or a hero. Such types of teenagers do not enter into marriage because they are ready but because of being influenced by their desires of being associated with a rich man or a hero. If the qualities of marring the person will change then the marriage will come to an end, therefore teenagers should find legitimate reasons to enter into marriage. Teenagers should know that it is unconditional love which is required for marriage and it will pave way for a long-lasting marriage.

Poverty and Early Pregnancy as Factors

Poverty has also led to teenage marriage, lack of enough resources has greatly added to teenagers engaging in activities which can help them get their basics. Children who are from poor families tend to marry young and have a poor or low level of education. Lack of some of the basics such as sanitary towels and clothes can make them engage in activities that will help them get money to buy them. Early pregnancy is another major reason leading to teenagers getting married. Getting pregnant force most of the teenagers into early marriage because they believe raising a child when single is hard. Pregnancy is however, not an ideal reason for one to enter into a marriage, there are many ways that one can raise the kid. One can raise a child as a single parent being assisted by her parents, and continue with his studies. Dropping out of school can increase the level of poverty since uneducated people are not much productive. Learned teenagers have high ability to raise their children.

Illiteracy and Gender Inequalities

Illiteracy has also contributed to teenage marriage; this is lack of enough education or exposure to a more evolved world. Many children who are brought up in cultural ways that make them too preservative and can get themselves in many risks. Culturally many women have been given low status and have been given fewer opportunities in terms of education and other community privileges. In the past due to traditional beliefs, mindset and custom most teenagers enter into marriage at an early age (Vang, 152). Gender inequalities in some of the preservative communities have also pushed many girls to run into early marriage. Teens that are from families who experience regular domestic violence tend to get married at a young age because they are trying to escape the abusive and hostile environment that they are in. They are commonly known to be victims of neglect and abuse, they are teens who are found to be rebellious because of the environment they are brought and exposed to the rebellion which will lead to premarital sex, which will eventually lead to unwanted pregnancies and marriage.

Effects of Teenage Marriage

Teenage marriage has adverse effects on the young generation and the teenagers, teenagers haste into marriage trusting everything will be perfect. However, most of the teenagers understand the negative impacts and realize that exposure to marriage issues while young is not the finest idea one can make. There are many effects of teenage marriages, one being the skyrocketing rate of divorce. The transition that occurs after marriage cannot be upheld by many because it always gets them unaware and unprepared, challenges being faced such as finances, untrustworthiness, poor understanding and regrets will lead to the failure of the marriage.

Teenage marriage will also lead to poverty; teenagers who get married get many responsibilities that they are not strong enough to handle. These teenagers usually get out of their own houses to run out of responsibilities since they cannot support themselves with their families. They, therefore, run on debts, some of them not even able to settle the debt because they do not have jobs. It can also make them look for jobs so as to earn to assist their families making them spend less time on their education. This will lead to a decrease in the attainment of the teen’s educational goals. Many young mothers who give birth to the first child will likely give birth to the second baby because of the idleness. Many children who are brought up in poor backgrounds due to the lack of resources to keep them will experience poor health leading to a high infant death rate.

Mental problems are also another effect caused by teenage marriages, young people who go into marriage unprepared for the emotional impact of marriage may find it difficult dealing with it. A married teenager might find it difficult engaging and being busy with house chores without having fun on evening dates or meeting the person at different times. Some teens might end up engaging in drugs or alcohol because of stress to escape the mechanisms of the situations. Teenagers experience a lot of health issues such as fistulas during delivery. Such problems are encountered because they are young mothers who are not biologically developed. Poor health is also brought about by the level of poverty the young people are, lack of enough resources hinders them from getting proper healthcare such as maternal health care (Putnam-Hornstein, 703). Currently, however, many attempts have been made by the government to ensure young mothers get proper free medical care. Free maternity programs have been put in place and therefore they can access the services easily. Teenage marriage also has led to a high spread of some diseases such as STDs and HIV Aids, this is because young people indulge in immoral activities which leads them to contract such diseases.

The Positive Aspects of Teenage Marriage

In contrast, there are however some positive effects which teen marriage yields. If the teens enter marriage because of the child, even if there will be a divorce, the father will have developed a bond with his child life and will act more responsibly and he will be more involved. This is because of the attachment to both the mother and the child, for those who will stay married they will begin their married life full of happiness and they will not have to wait for a long time to find a partner. People who marry young mostly are successful people; they finish their responsibilities, such as educating their children at a younger age. They are also found to have a higher lifespan since stress does not get them at their old age when their energy is drained and they do not regret in their life.

Teenage marriage is also positive because people who spent their resources, both time and money, are more useful and more responsible. With the presence of children, many lessons are learned and people tend to be mature and behave responsibly. It also trains people to have patience. Also, teenage marriage has played a big role in minimizing immoral behaviors because in marriage there is less freedom as they are more involved in family activities. Teenage marriage, however, has more negative impacts on the young people, and it seems to outweigh the positive effects. Therefore, teenage marriage is not a wise choice and young people should be made aware of the negative consequences of getting into an early marriage. Parents should ensure that they give support to their children and create a good environment that is conducive to their growth health-wise, emotionally, socially and even spiritually.

Conclusion

Teenage marriage has positive and negative effects; sometimes teenagers can have rights to marry or to choose whether to get married. However, they should know that getting married is not a solution to the problems they might be undergoing but marriage is a lifetime commitment that is made out of unconditional love and understanding between individuals. Teenage marriage has however been a challenge for many countries but many attempts have been taken to curb the challenge, historically people were only allowed to enter into a marriage at a young age but with conditions. There are policies made by unions which advocate against teenage marriage and it has played a major role in assisting teenagers, also most of the countries have formed laws which are against teenage marriage and it is considered a crime which is punishable. Successfulness of teenage marriage depends much on the thinking and perception of teenagers who enter into a marriage.

Preventing early pregnancies is an aspect that would help reduce teenage marriage which forces young girls into marriage. The Department of Health and Human Services has shown efforts to reduce teen early pregnancies. The department has helped create awareness in the need for abstinence from sex; they have introduced abstinence education programs and adolescence family life programs. According to research, the poorest countries in the world record a high rate of early forced marriages. This is because though most of the parents wish to have a good future for their children, lack of enough resources to keep their children will force them to allow their children to get married early.

Works Cited

Altonji, Joseph G., Sarah Cattan, and Iain Ware. “Identifying sibling influence on teenage substance use.” Journal of Human Resources (2016): 0714-6474R1. Terracciano, Antonio.

Putnam-Hornstein, Emily, and Bryn King. “Cumulative teen birth rates among girls in foster care at age 17: An analysis of linked birth and child protection records from California.” Child abuse & neglect 38.4 (2014): 698-705.

Vang, Pa Der, and Matthew Bogenschutz. “Teenage marriage, and the socioeconomic status of Hmong women.” International Migration 52.3 (2014): 144-159.