Want Your Marriage To Last? Maybe A Younger Wife Is In Order
Posted: Monday, October 26, 2009
by Abigail Richards
The European Journal of Operational Research has released a study that contends that the secret to a happy marriage for is to choose a wife who is smarter and at least five years younger.
The smarter aspect is a given since all women are smarter then men anyhow. Just joking, but had to add that in to give everyone a laugh.
The research is based on studying more than 1,500 couples who were married or in a serious relationship. Five years later, the group followed up with a 1,000 of the couples to see which had lasted.
This is not rocket science. I think some men just take longer to mature so a younger wife is better suited. Also, it use to be that women needed to be cared for financially so an older man was better suited for that. I think that holds true today to some extent as well.
I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately. What makes a good marriage?
My brother-in-law recently got married to a girl he had only known a few months and she is much younger. Already, they seem to come from two completely different family backgrounds. On top of that, stress will be an issue when a baby comes into the picture in February/March. Finances will be tight since he works as a teacher and she does not work. Not the most ideal start, would you agree?
However, I think of my own marriage. Sure we are the same age, we dated for over four years. But we were very immature and irresponsible. We were not the best role models and had no clue what we were doing. We waited until two years after we were married, then found out I was pregnant. We met at a Pantera rock concert, for pete's sake. We are happy and we are making it.
I know people who started off in worse and better circumstance. I know some who the woman was older and some where the man was older. I know some where both were educated, one was educated and neither was educated. I know couples who are now pastors that met in a bar and struggled in the beginning. In the end, it comes down to God.
Marriage is not a formula based institution. Sometimes, we just do not know who or why couples join. I, personally, would not let a study persuade me from if I am making the right decision in marriage.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I agree with you Abigail, one shouldn't let statistics affect their decision about marriage. We can't lump all young men into the 'immature' category just as we can't say all young women need older men to provide for them. We're all individuals and what works for one couple may not work for another. Your title got me. I think though I would have preferred 'Want your marriage to last? Maybe an older, wiser, richer man is in order.' :) Good article.Especially "richer man"... lolI agree with you both on the "richer" part! Thanks for commenting gals! :0
I'm kind of sympathetic to this article. I think it has merit.- GHmm. . .I assume you are married to a younger woman then! Thanks for commenting!
Oh yaa, a younger wife is always better LOL I think the maturity part is correct. There is no perfect formula for marriage, and I am not or never have been married. People are the same 5 years after they meet and then they change again after another 5 years or so. Ten years after being married both couples have changed from who they were when they met. It is really a crap shoot. I think one of the best things you can do is marry someone who makes similar money, so money is not an issue during the marriage or if a divorce should happen. P.S. I think it is cool you met at a Pantera concert...rock on!!!
Maybe it was because we were 33 and 39 when we married (me being the wife and 6 years older) and maybe because there was much prayer behind this union but almost 25 years later we are still going strong.
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