As our culture turns away from the institution of marriage, cohabitation is increasingly normalized. But social science shows that marriage is better for everyone involved. Mothers benefit from marriage in some special ways.
Married mothers report more love and intimacy in their relationships than cohabiting or single mothers.
Married mothers report less depression, more support from their husbands, and more stable relationships than cohabiting mothers.
Married women are more likely to value the importance of having their own children than remarried, divorced, separated, or single adults are.
Married mothers behave more positively toward their infants and create better home environments than cohabiting or single mothers.
For women, marriage is the safest protection against abuse from men.
Is there anyone you can encourage to marry rather than cohabit? Share the data with them using this data sheet from the Marriage and Religious Research Institute.