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10 ways marriage is different for men and women
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Men and women don't exactly think alike when it comes to marriage. Here's how they differ. - photo by Herb Scribner
Men and women don't exactly think alike when it comes to marriage.

New studies and reports have shown how women and men have differing opinions before they get married and also when they have already tied the knot. From when to get married to the benefits of the institution, the two genders aren't always on the same page.

Following are five ways men and women differ when it comes to marriage.

More older men are getting married than older women

The Office of National Statistics in the United Kingdom found in June that 25 percent of men ages 65 to 69 are getting married, while 21 percent of women of the same age are getting married, The Express reported.

This age group had the largest increase in married couples among both sexes, too, The Express reported.

"Its interesting that the largest percentage increase in the number of marriages was for older couples, also that the trend for marrying later in life continues to go up, said Marilyn Stowe from Stowe Family Law to The Express. The cost of living means that couples need to save for longer and therefore as the country emerges out of recession I would expect the total number of marriages will increase again next year.

More women find it normal to not be married

New York Magazine published a chart that looked at how many women and men are married by the time theyre 30 years old. The chart asked "how normal is it" for each sex if theyre not married by ages 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40.

For women, the normality of not being married by age 40 is at 84 percent, while for men its at 78 percent. At 35, its 78 percent normal for women not to be married and 71 percent for men. Women also lead men for normality of not being married by ages 30, 25 and 20, the chart showed.

Men are more reluctant to get married

Lois Collins of Deseret News National wrote in mid-May that men are more reluctant to get married overall, despite the benefits. Collins quoted a Family Studies article written by Scott M. Stanley, who went deeper into the subject.

Stanley wrote that men can benefit more in terms of being happier and earning more money. They can even benefit from marriages that arent all too strong from a behavioral standpoint, Stanley wrote.

"I believe that men resist marriage more than women primarily because they believe marriage requires a substantial increase in their behavioral commitment and they dont always feel ready for that transition," he wrote.

Women are more likely to avoid marriage because of student debt

In a study released Friday, Demographic Research found that women are more likely than men to sidestep marriage when their student debt level is high.

Specifically, an increase of $1,000 in student loan debt is associated with a reduction in the odds of first marriage by 2 percent a month among female bachelor degree recipients during the first four years after college graduation, according to the study.

So basically, student debt only causes women to avoid marriage at first. But eventually things equal out between men and women, the study found.

Marriage is healthier for men

Cohabitating men don't get the health benefits that married men do, according to new research reported on by Gannett.

In fact, a new study by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics found that being married can help you be healthier, as you have a deeper connection with someone. Linda Waite, a professor at the University of Chicago, told Gannett that people are more likely to take care of themselves.

(P)eople take better care of their own health because its important to their partner, Waite said to Gannett.

Guys, a loving spouse may save your life, U.S. health officials say. But living with a significant other doesnt appear to confer the same health benefits as marriage, Randy Dotinga of Gannett reported. Single and married men are more likely to see a doctor regularly than those living with a partner out of wedlock.

Women, it seems, are less dependent on men to be healthy, though. The research found women will help their husbands make doctors appointments and call in prescriptions, according to Gannett. But they take care of their own health more or rely on other support systems.

Educated women are less likely to divorce

When it comes to divorce, a wifes education has a gigantic impact. Wives who have more education than their husbands are at less risk for divorce, according to the American Sociological Association.

This is different from the way marriage had been built in the past, where the male was the primary breadwinner. Now, with women getting more education, theyre less likely to skip out on their husbands, the ASA said.

"We also found that couples in which both individuals have equal levels of education are now less likely to divorce than those in which husbands have more education than their wives," said Christine R. Schwartz, the author of the study. "These trends are consistent with a shift away from a breadwinner-homemaker model of marriage toward a more egalitarian model of marriage in which women's status is less threatening to men's gender identity."

Divorced men marry a lot quicker

Once theyre divorced, men are more likely to search for their next love interest, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Vicki Larson of The Huffington Post reported on the study and the different ways men and women approach getting back into the game. She said it was especially interesting that men are quick to rush into a new relationship and build new families when they have reservations about other aspects of family.

(S)ome men, obviously, are OK with blending families or even starting new families, which is surprising considering how many men complain rightfully so about paying alimony (often for life) and child support, often for children they can barely see, Larson wrote to The Huffington Post. So then why are so many men eager to get hitched again especially when second marriages have a 67 percent chance of divorce?

Women initiate divorce more

Women are looking to get the divorce done more often than men. In fact, 15 percent of women are divorced, according to research done by Bowling Green State University.

Dads let marriage problems flow into parenting traits. On her personal blog, Larson also talked about how studies have shown that women are looking to walk out and sign the divorce papers sooner than men. And the answer of why isnt too clear, Larson wrote, saying that men cheating in relationships might be a big cause for it.

So, is it a case of guys having their cake and eating it, too? she asked in her blog post. I dont know, but there does seem to be some sort of disconnect between actions and reactions.

Single moms are moving home

Being a single mother isnt always the easiest thing, and many American single moms are looking for help. As One News Now reported, many young single mothers are moving back home to get help raising kids.

Expert Alison Howard of Concerned Women for American explained to One News Now that moving back in with family can help the child grow up in an environment where there are more people, giving them something similar to a traditional marriage.

We want to end this breakdown of marriage so that kids can do better and women can do better and American families can do better, Howard said to One News Now. A strong family leads to a strong economy and leads to a strong country.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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