Marriage vs Cohabitation

When most people think of cohabiting, they think of how it prepares you for marriage and tests the relationship with their partner. It can only benefit you right? That is where most people are wrong. I learned in class that research does not show any benefits from cohabiting. Some of the findings were:

• Married couples have a better quality relationship than cohabiting couples, especially those cohabiting who don't plan on marrying
• Married couples report more sex and more satisfying sex than cohabiting couples
• Married couples show more commitment, greater happiness, and a better relationship with their parents
• Marriages are more stable and durable
• Children that are born to a cohabiting couple are five times more likely than those born to married couples to experience parental separation.

To most, it seems very logical to cohabit before, or instead of, marriage. However, research shows otherwise. Besides, cohabitation is growing to the point where it is more common than marriage. It can be difficult to go straight from being single to marriage. A lot of couples think of cohabiting as a way to bridge the gap from being single to being married. This brings them comfort and they think they will be more stable and ready for marriage. However, let there be a caution to the consequences of such an unstable union.