Millennials Taking a Different Approach to Marriage and Divorce

It’s widely acknowledged that the millennial generation in Colorado is coming of age in a time that is vastly different from that of their parents and grandparents. Feminism, social liberalism, and dramatic increases in technology have changed the way that many millennials approach their lives. Previous generations sought fulfillment by getting married and starting families. While young adults today are not against doing the same, they are choosing to do it later according to CNN.

Given the rates of divorce and remarriage in the United States over the last several decades, that should come as no surprise. The rate of adults who have been married more than once has nearly doubled since 1980. Perhaps seeing their parents’ generation deal with the fallout from high rates of divorce has led many millennials to take a more cautious view when it comes to getting married.

Interestingly, TIME Magazine reports that it appears that some young adults are interested in the idea of approaching marriage as a beta test; that is, a trial run to see if all of the kinks can be worked out or not. One study found millennials were open to the ideas of treating marriage in the following ways:

Marriage could be dissolved after two years if the trial period did not go well, or could be formalized if it did
Marriage could be legal for terms of four years, with the option to choose a new partner after eight years
Marriage could be treated like a contract with a finite term, and when the contract expires the terms can be renegotiated if the parties wish to remain together

While some may chalk these attitudes up to a reluctance to commit, some argue that the millennial generation is just trying to make smarter choices than their parents did. If ultimately this more bureaucratic approach to marriage is embraced, it will be interesting to see the effect it will have on divorce rates.

Tags: Divorce