Premarital Cohabitation: Its Positive Effects - Essay Example

Many couples feel that their marriage would go strong if they will first live together. This is because of the consequences it brings. To them, cohabitation causes confusion among younger generations and other people. They find the value of marriage and marriage certificates for granted. Marriage becomes a matter of ceremony without importance because they do not exactly know what constitutes marriage. However, some people find marriage as not the sole criterion of confusion among younger groups when considering the relationship of couples. In fact, youth who come from a family whose parents are married but quarrel most of the time are more confused. Younger generations who understand the goal of premarital cohabitation may find it not confusing and may consider it a better option of marriage. This idea is supported in the article of Budinski & Trovato (72) where they made it clear that cohabitation is a viable alternative for marriage especially to those who do not have the confidence in entering a long-term marriage just yet. They further stated that when couples cohabit, components of marriage are present like sharing of home, sexual intimacy, childbearing, and economic resources. With this, the couple may live like husband and wife just the same where they can enjoy playing their role as partners and parents. Individuals of any age who understand this purpose may consider premarital cohabitation as a springboard to marriage. Thus this does not post confusion.

People who are against living together before marriage or premarital cohabitation claim that entering such a situation may result in habitually changing their partners and are observed to be having difficulty finding a lifelong partner. This practice gives a belief that repeated cohabitation would be a predictor for future marriage failures as a result of the weeding out process. Through selection, the person may change partner every now and then. However, observation shows that cohabiters and non-cohabiters experience divorce at almost the same rate. Once the mismatch traits are detected, it is likely that the person is going to weed out those incompatible traits resulting in an improved experience which makes the next relationship a success. This is evident among couples who were recently questioned in their answers that they are improving their chances of success in their marital relationship with their experience thus the prevalence of separation or divorce is reduced in the subsequent relationship.

A large number of people especially Muslims believe that the practice of premarital cohabitation is better because it ensures stronger compatibility and commitment of couples. To be compatible needs adjustment to each other. Perhaps the way couples do this would be to live together. Couples have to be close together to really observe the way each lives. Doing this could help couples find out if they could bear each other without too much tension, quarrels, and other problems. If they find out that they are comfortable with each other’s lifestyle, then they may consider marriage. However, if they are not, then it would be easy for them to just break apart because of the absence of legal paper works and commitment. Taxes would be easier to handle too. Nevertheless, before living together, both parties should know their objectives so that both have a clear reason for doing so.

Furthermore, it is claimed that dating no matter how long it was is not enough to know the person well so that it is only when you live with your partner that you are going to know each other in-depth to include knowing his habits, likes, and dislikes, and other behaviors. You might want to know if he or she spends too much, drinks too much, is cruel, unfaithful, or even does illegal activities which might involve you in the future if he or she will be your partner. Knowing the ins and outs of your partner will make you comfortable to be with each other since you have accepted the other person as who he is. In addition, living together will also give you the chance to find out the creativity and how romantic each other is.