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Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by giantg2 on Monday September 18, 2023 @11:20AM (#37557417)
"Forcing unhappy people to stay together or get married doesn't help anyone."

I largely agree, but the idea of promoting two parent households isn't antithetical to your statement. You could have programs that are meant to ensure that couples get married for the right reasons, with the right skills, etc. It's likely a marriage prep/ed course would result in fewer divorces, just as drivers ed results in better drivers.

Ine example, if your primary discussion about what happens if the marriage doesn't work out happens after the fact, then you were ill prepared. Better to have that discussion while on good terms going into it - like a collaborative prenup consultation at least.

Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by matthewfelgate on Monday September 18, 2023 @11:26AM (#37557501)
You want people to go to marriage school?!

Honestly what planet are you living on.

Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by ajmurmann on Monday September 18, 2023 @11:32AM (#37557609)
I'm not sure I agree with the parent or not, but there are a few things that I've found incredibly valuable to sustain a successful marriage long term. For example, we have the rule to never go to sleep while angry with each other. Maybe we'll be sitting in separate rooms tired and fuming at 1am, but once heads are cooled off we talk it out and then go to sleep at 2am after both are happy to share a good night kiss. I think this is huge because it prevents anger or frustration to build up and forces it to be resolved at a natural point.
Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by anon291 on Monday September 18, 2023 @11:30AM (#37557577)
The Catholic church requires marriage school (often the priest goes over a large standardized list of questions about how the marriage will be structured to verify you've thought it all through).

Catholics have significantly lower divorce rates: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/28161/catholics-cont...

From my priest friends, I've heard horror stories of couples they've managed to convince not to marry. We are talking couples who could not agree on kids, or who had major family issues or resentment, or couldn't agree on finances.

It's best for everyone if these just don't marry.

Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by troyvit on Monday September 18, 2023 @11:45AM (#37557803)
It's the science fiction world called, "The Planet of People Who Look Before They Leap."

There are awesome marriage schools, called couples counseling, and a lot of people do just that before getting married to help expose some of the gotchas that you don't realize before getting married (lots more farts basically). Should it be "policy?" Hell no, but it would probably help new families a lot for people to do it.

Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by giantg2 on Monday September 18, 2023 @11:47AM (#37557848)
The policy shouldn't make it mandatory. It would be interesting to see what a free session would do.
Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by troyvit on Monday September 18, 2023 @01:25PM (#37559130)
Yeah that's an awesome idea.
Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by em-bee on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @07:36PM (#37578562)
what should be policy is that the educational parts of such counseling should be part of the general school curriculum. children need to learn to care for each other, to listen to each other and respect and love each other. there is a lot you can teach about friendships and relationships in school that doesn't need to be done in the intimate situation of couples counseling.
Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by foogazi on Monday September 18, 2023 @12:32PM (#37558457)
> You could have programs that are meant to ensure that couples get married

Is marriage required or just a two parent household ?

Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by giantg2 on Monday September 18, 2023 @12:47PM (#37558615)
Just the two parent household. It seems that many of the one parent households are a product of divorce though. Reducing divorce could help address that subset.
Re:Two-parent households should be a policy goal by matthewfelgate on Wednesday September 20, 2023 @11:14AM (#37585250)
Is there any evidence that reducing divorce increases children's welfare?