Interesting question. I very vaguely remember reading a study about age affecting marital happiness. My mom was 27 and my dad was 40 when they got married. DH's parents had a similar age difference. I can see benefits to getting married when you're a little more mature, though obviously a lot more factors in than just age. DH and I were 30 and 38 when we got married. I wish I'd met him a few years earlier but at the same time, I'm glad I had the chance to live and work in Asia for 5 years and do a lot of traveling before I got married and started having kids.
my mom was 19 and my dad was 23. they divorced when i was 5 (married 6 years). i'm sure age was part of it, but they also only dated for 7 months before my dad popped the question. he's a hopeless romantic like that.
My mom was 19 and not married when she had me, never married my dad since they split when I was a baby. Mom married my step dad when I was 4, and are still married.
I think it was less age and more circumstances. my parents were 20 when they got married... and they "had to" if you know what I mean... along came my brother just 7 months later! I don't think either one of them was ready for marriage and I don't think they would have EVER married each other had it not been for the pregnancy. they stuck it out for 13 years but in the end are SO much better suited in their second marriages.
my sister, on the other hand, had nearly the same thing happen when she was 21 (apple doesn't fall far???) but her situation worked out because they really are great together and most likely would have been married either way.
My mom was 19, my dad was 31. I think the age difference had a negitive effect because she was always very controlled by him. Almost more of a father/daughter relationship than husband/wife. But it has more to do with personalities than age I think.
Mom was 22 and dad was 25. They are still together 35 years later! Their age didn't have anything to do with staying together. They just worked through rough patches and stuck by one another through everything... As marriage should be.
My mom was 22 and my dad was 24. They dated for 2 weeks before he asked her to marry him. I found that little tidbit out a couple of years ago. They've been married for 34 years.
it had everything to do w/ their spectacular failure - they were just too young to get married and they grew apart. their mistake was drilled into our heads as kids as an example of what NOT to do.
Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes the eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker - Author Unknown
my mom was 19 and my dad was 25 - they only dated for 5 months before they eloped! Back then I wouldn't have given them much of a chance b/c they were young and b/c they hadn't dated for that long.....but they have been married for 32 years.
My Dad was 23, Mom 26. They've been married 41 years and are still going strong.
There have been many recent studies that have shown as both age and education level go up and are more similar amongst couples, the divorce rate drastically goes down. FWIW.
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
My Mom was 20 and my Dad was 21 when they got married. They have been married for 46 years this past April. I don't think their age had anything to do with it.
25. I actually do think their age negatively affected things, but only because they were also immature for their age. Like, when they got married, my "dad" quit school and got a job, which was ridiculous, because he has no education and no skills so now that the economy is tanking he is screwed. He also worked in a crap job he hated his entire life, because it paid well, which made him a miserable person. Had he actually finished school (he was going for graphic design and had only one year left), he may have been happier, thus less of a miserable douche. Though I really have no idea since this is all speculation.
My parents were 20 and pregnant when they got married. My grandparents were 17 (her) and 19 (him) and pregnant when they got married. My grandparents celebrated their 50 anniversary a few years ago and my parents celebrated 25 a few years ago. I think in both marriages they truly love each other. DH's parents were like 23 or something when they got married and ended in divorce 19 years later.
Mom was 18 and dad was 28. And no, I don't think age mattered in the outcome, in our culture people are married until death does them apart. But I do believe my mom adjusted easily given that she was young and had no rigid opinions yet.
21 (both). No, I think that my dad was a complete douchebag (not just because he cheated on my mom) and that inevitably lead to the divorce. The affair was just the breaking point.
My dad was 25 and my mom was 19. Still married almost 35 years later. I don't think age had anything to do with it...well, other than it being legal and all...
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
They got married the weekend they graduated, so they were both 21, almost 22. That was in '74, and they're still going strong. I don't know if age had anything to do with their success. I know it hasn't always been easy. They had us in '79, '80 and '81. I can't imagine 3u3! My mom does have the patience of a saint though...
Wow, it seems like everyone's parents got married really young!
My parents were 30 when they got married, and have been married for 37 years. They both finished college, graduate school, traveling, etc. before they got married... which I guess was somewhat less common back then. I have no idea if their age had any bearing on the success of their marriage.
My mom never married my bio dad, she met my former step dad in her late 30s, and he was a few years younger. They divorced after 15 years, but age had nothing to do with it. Their relationship was based off alcohol and Alan Jackson concerts...so there ya go.
My mom was 20 and my dad 21. I think it was a factor in their marriage being crappy. However the biggest factors were my Dad being an abusive a-hole and coming from an abusive home and my mom having an abusive a-hole dad so she didn't know any better.
That said, I got married young (23) and really didn't know better. I shouldn't have rushed into it because I made a huge mistake.
My mom was 18, dad was 19. And they were married for over 20 years....so somewhere between a success and a failure. I think age had everything to do with it...they both agree they'd never had gotten married if they had been older.
Re: s/o marriage poll
My mom & Bio father: 21 & 30...nope. My bio father was a drunk & abuser. She left him (with me in tow)
My mom & stepdad: 26 & 33...nope. My dad was killed in a car accident 6 years later, no one's fault.
mom:18
dad:26
married 35 years and still going strong.
the circumstances in "our" generation are very different from our parents.
They were both 21...still happily married.
I think it was less age and more circumstances. my parents were 20 when they got married... and they "had to" if you know what I mean... along came my brother just 7 months later! I don't think either one of them was ready for marriage and I don't think they would have EVER married each other had it not been for the pregnancy. they stuck it out for 13 years but in the end are SO much better suited in their second marriages.
my sister, on the other hand, had nearly the same thing happen when she was 21 (apple doesn't fall far???) but her situation worked out because they really are great together and most likely would have been married either way.
My mom was 19, my dad was 31. I think the age difference had a negitive effect because she was always very controlled by him. Almost more of a father/daughter relationship than husband/wife. But it has more to do with personalities than age I think.
DH and I were both 22.
20 and almost 22
it had everything to do w/ their spectacular failure - they were just too young to get married and they grew apart. their mistake was drilled into our heads as kids as an example of what NOT to do.
My Dad was 23, Mom 26. They've been married 41 years and are still going strong.
There have been many recent studies that have shown as both age and education level go up and are more similar amongst couples, the divorce rate drastically goes down. FWIW.
25. I actually do think their age negatively affected things, but only because they were also immature for their age. Like, when they got married, my "dad" quit school and got a job, which was ridiculous, because he has no education and no skills so now that the economy is tanking he is screwed. He also worked in a crap job he hated his entire life, because it paid well, which made him a miserable person. Had he actually finished school (he was going for graphic design and had only one year left), he may have been happier, thus less of a miserable douche. Though I really have no idea since this is all speculation.
My mom was 18 and my dad was 21. They are still together.
Wow, it seems like everyone's parents got married really young!
My parents were 30 when they got married, and have been married for 37 years. They both finished college, graduate school, traveling, etc. before they got married... which I guess was somewhat less common back then. I have no idea if their age had any bearing on the success of their marriage.
mom 20, dad 25 and married for 41 years
mil and fil were both 22 and married for 40 yrs
they all married young and are still married. I don't think age is a factor. I think it was the way they were raised and their own expectations.
My mom was 20 and my dad 21. I think it was a factor in their marriage being crappy. However the biggest factors were my Dad being an abusive a-hole and coming from an abusive home and my mom having an abusive a-hole dad so she didn't know any better.
That said, I got married young (23) and really didn't know better. I shouldn't have rushed into it because I made a huge mistake.
How old were your parents when they got married? 19
Do you think their age had anything to do with the outcome (good or bad) of their marriage? yesMy parents were:
Mom-18 (barely, for a month) and Dad-20
And yes, I think it has something to do with the failure, but not the only reason.