The Survival of the Traditional Family, Is The Traditional Family Becoming Endangered?

I was startled by the statistics for the divorce rate in the United States. The divorce rate for first marriages is 51%, for second marriages it is 67% and 74% for third marriages. What baffled me was that the divorce rate increased from first marriages to third marriages. I was under the assumption that you learn from your mistakes and that you bring the experiences in your previous marriage to make the second marriage last. I am too a first marriage divorcee with children. How many families do you know that have the biological parents in the same household happily married? Is the traditional family becoming extinct and how can we prevent traditional family from becoming endangered?

“WWF safeguards hundreds of species around the world, but focus special attention on flagship species: giant pandas, tigers, polar bears, endangered whales and dolphins, rhinos, elephants, marine turtles and great apes. These species not only need special measures and extra protection in order to survive, they also serve as umbrella species: helping them helps numerous other species that live in the same habitats.” After watching Academy Award winner Halle Berry on national television on the Oprah show stating that she wants a baby but not to get married again, I was appalled and first realized that the traditional family is too endangered. In a country with freedom of speech, I wish that statement were censored.

Before a plant or animal species can receive protection under the Endangered Species Act, it must first be placed on the Federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. I am pushing for an endangered list for the traditional family. When mentioning the government, there are programs such as the Healthy Marriage Initiative that focuses on strengthening marriages and “to help couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain greater access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage.” According to Halle Berry’s statement and the above statistics, we have to do more to encourage marriages and to make marriages last.

An “endangered” species is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A “threatened” species is one that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Are we threatening to become endangered?

The benefits of strengthening families goes beyond the immediate family, it extends to our community, our nation and ultimately the world. When you have a strong family, the traditional family, you have strong individuals, mothers, fathers, and children. When you have strong families, you have strong communities. The economics of a healthy marriage can make a profound impact on the community. With our current economic condition and the correlation with the above divorce statistics, one can conclude that stronger families make stronger communities. Furthermore, researchers have found that there are many benefits to the traditional family unit and healthy marriages.

For our children, the benefit of a healthy marriage and the traditional family are as follow:

1. More likely to attend college
2. More likely to succeed academically
3. Physically healthier
4. Emotionally healthier
5. Less likely to attempt or commit suicide
6. Demonstrate less behavioral problems in school
7. Less likely to be a victim of physical or sexual abuse
8. Less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol
9. Less likely to commit delinquent behaviors
10. Have a better relationship with their mothers and fathers
11. Decreases their chances of divorcing when they get married
12. Less likely to become pregnant as a teenager, or impregnate someone.
13. Less likely to be sexually active as teenagers
14. Less likely to contract STD's
15. Less likely to be raised in poverty


For women, the benefit of a healthy marriage and the traditional family are as follow:

1. More satisfying relationship
2. Emotionally healthier
3. Wealthier
4. Less likely to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other violent crimes
5. Less likely to attempt or commit suicide
6. Decrease risk of drug and alcohol abuse
7. Less likely to contract STD's
8. Less likely to remain or end up in poverty
9. Have better relationships with their children
10. Physically healthier

For men, the benefit of a healthy marriage and the traditional family are as follow:

1. Live longer
2. Physically healthier
3. Wealthier
4. Increase in the stability of employment
5. Higher wages
6. Emotionally healthier
7. Decrease risk of drug and alcohol abuse
8. Have better relationships with their children
9. More satisfying sexual relationship
10. Less likely to commit violent crimes
11. Less likely to contract STD's
12. Less likely to attempt or commit suicide


For our communities, the benefit of a healthy marriage and the traditional family are as follow:

1. Higher rates of physically healthy citizens
2. Higher rates of emotionally healthy citizens
3. Higher rates of educated citizens
4. Lower domestic violence rates
5. Lower crime statistics
6. Lower teen age pregnancy rates
7. Lower rates of juvenile delinquency
8. Higher rates of home ownership
9. Lower rates of migration
10. Higher property values
11. Decreased need for social services


The benefits of staying together and working toward healthy marriages is a benefit that is a win-win-win-win for our children, women, men, and our communities. One important benefit of the traditional family is that a family stays together. Can we find a way back to the traditional family and stop the cycle of the divorce rates?

We can start by working toward building stronger relationships and teaching our children how to form and maintain strong relationships. I often times tell my oldest son that when he gets married that divorce is not an option so select a good wife. He was at an age where he saw the ravages of my divorce and witness the negative affects divorce has not only on children, but also on both parents. I’m pushing for him not to repeat the cycle and working on me that when I take the step to get married again, this time it would be a healthy marriage that can be a model for my sons.