The Best Environment to Bring Up Children?

[AB Editor]

 

This poll is closed.

Is A Marriage The Best Environment to Bring Up Children?

• Yes - 215 votes
• 52%
• As long as both parents are present, it doesn't matter if they're married - 149 votes
• 36%
• It doesn't matter at all - 44 votes
• 11%
• No - 7 votes
• 2%

See final stats

Stats until: 14:17 Sat 21st Dec 2024 (Refreshed every 5 minutes)

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[ummmm]

I went for C. I think having happy parents is more important though.

[AB Editor]

Results update every 5 minutes.

Inspired by this article today: http://www.dailymail....s-better-parents.html

I know the poll is fairly broad - so let me know what you think makes the difference below!

[AB Editor]

Or above, if you're a faster typist than I!

[queenofmean]

I went for A, I considered B though

[Coldicote]

Marriage means commitment that other kinds of partnership tend to avoid. It means a lot to children that their parents are bound by the marriage undertaking, even though sadly it doesn't always work out.

[Flyhalf]

Ditto, coldicote.

[2sp_]

I've said B.

I think both parents can be present even if they are not together. People shouldn't stay in a bad relationship just because they have kids together.

So, I think two happy parents who get on is the best environment. Even if they don't live together they can still be a "team".

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Of course it doesn't matter.

[Goodsoulette]

I was going to go for the Maldives but then saw this was about marriage.

As long as a child has stability and some male and female influence then I dont think they miss out at all.

[B00]

I went with A, quite pleasantly surprised the majority did too :-)

[Old_Geezer]

I'm constantly amazed folk think a bit of paper makes any difference.

Marriage doesn't means commitment, divorce allows a couple to split if, at a later time it is considered the better course of action. In fact they can opt to separate even without a divorce. And it is offensive to suggest to couples that opt not to go through a ceremony that they are less committed.

And why is there the suggestion that a couple who raise children without the ceremony are not a complete family ? Is the certificate a member of the family ?

[magsmay]

surely its the environment within the family that is important - a child exposed to domestic violence whose parents are married is not better off than a child brought up by two people in a loving relationship who are 'living in sin'

[ojread2]

As long as both parents are INVOLVED, doesnt matter if they are married, live together or have 2 houses

[cazzz1975]

in fact a child who has grown up witnessing their parents poor marriage would be more wary about marriage itself. Marriage is only a good influence if the marriage itself is good.

[LoftyLottie]

I agree to some extent Caz. I loved both my parents and had but was the child involved in an unhappy marriage and the trauma has influenced my life to a great extent. Mind you, all those years ago it was well nigh impossible for a single parent to cope, so my parents, bless them, did well to stay together for my sake, so I don't blame them.

It did make me more cautious about marriage or permanent relationships of any kind though and I vowed to never tie myself to one person. I never viewed marriage through rose coloured glasses. Funnily enough my cousins who were the offspring of very contented marriages rushed into marriage at an early age, and both divorced very quickly!!

[LoftyLottie]

'and had' don't know quite how that appeared!!!

[LoftyLottie]

I think the best possible environment for a child to grow up in is a secure stable environment and if both parents are together then this is an added bonus.

[joko]

id say any environment is fine as long as theyre loved and cared for

but ideally theyd have both their parents together in one house, i think thats the best way - married or not is not important.-

but if thats not the case it certainly doesnt make it a bad environment

[Prudie]

i'd vote A with the proviso that it was happy stable marriage. I'm not sure how anyone could argue that wasn't the ultimate of the options.