Family

“When we consider the state of the family at the beginning of the twenty-first century, our tendency is to reflect nostalgically on imagined idyllic days of generations past when families weren’t perfect but pretty close to it, or so we like to think.” - Ligonier

“As marriage rates continue to decline, the social sciences are documenting how robust the benefits of marriage are for adults and their children.” - Daily Citizen

“ ‘Parents Under Pressure’ attempts to address the mental health and well-being of moms and dads. The 35-page document acknowledges and elaborates on many of the challenges facing the typical American family—and then suggests what individuals and government institutions can do to help reduce the burden.” - Daily Citizen

“One important skill that married couples develop over time is the ability to Jointly Negotiate Conflict Resolution Strategies (JNCRS) to their mutual benefit…. Only a few small studies have looked at what goes right in marriages over the long-term in conflict resolution.” - IFS

“About four-in-ten adults ages 50 and older who never had children (38%) say there was a time when they wanted to have them. About a third (32%) say they never wanted to have children, while a quarter say they weren’t sure whether or not they wanted to do so.” - Pew

“At this time three years ago, I and others had been praying for my mom’s salvation for more than 46 years…. In the latter part of February 2021, we were still praying and hoping. By the end of March of that year, though, God had moved mightily in Mom’s life.” - Chuck Lawless

“Imagine a friend told you that her baby is sick and may die. You’d feel shock and grief…Would anything change if the friend then replied, ‘Thank you, we’re hoping Fluffy pulls through’?” - Breakpoint

“Today, 45% of Americans see three or more children as ideal, a steep increase from 38% in 2013, and an even wider gap from 33% in 2003.” - Gallup

Related: Some analysis and perspective at IFS

“When divorce is difficult or impossible to secure, marriage is thought of as an enduring, tighter community, and small irritants can be forgotten or forgiven. When divorce is easy to secure, partners in a marriage tend to think of themselves as individuals first before marriage partners” - IFS

“About three-quarters of U.S. adults (73%) rate spending time with family as one of the most important things to them personally, regardless of how much time they actually devote to it.” - Pew