Why is marriage of potential parents considered necessary for the welfare of children?

In other words, how does having your mother married to your father provide you critical benefits during your formative years?Why is marriage of potential parents considered necessary for the welfare of children?
Marriage provide a sense of security for the child.





Even in a solid marriage, the child always has an underlying fear that somehow, someday Mommy and Daddy won't be there. The reason for this is not always death. Divorce or desertion is also a fear.





When Mommy and Daddy aren't married, desertion become a primary fear. First off, kids just ';know'; these things, but in actuality there are usually little clues, many non-verbal, that the relationship between Mom and Dad is temporary.





Married couples show (or should) permanence in a way that is visible to the child. It is OK to fight, but you MUST make an effort to visibly and passionately make up -- in front of the children. These acts aare VITAL to bringing up healthy children. They learn WHAT forgiveness really is, and they learn how to EXPRESS it. If it is OK for Dad to drop his stoic attitude and apologize to Mom, then it is OK for me to apologize to my friend. Kids learn how to be married from watching their parents!





And this example is GONE from those unmarried households because there is always that little undercurrent of ';temporary residency'; -- I don't need to forgive you, because I can leave anytime I want. So you do things MY way, or I'm outta here!





This example does NOT translate into a potential future solid marriage for your children. It increases their own natural selfishness, and in fact makes them bad partners -- married or not.





And of course these same ideals presented in a married home spill over into other life areas -- like making friend and keeping jobs. Statistically, children from unmarried households are less friendly and less likely to maintain a steady career, as well as exhibt ';serial monogomy'; through a seris of failed relationships and divorces.





Why is marriage of potential parents considered necessary for the welfare of children?
It doesn't, I don't believe people ';have'; to be married to create a loving and supportive family. The whole idea of you ';must be married to have a family'; is an old school way of thinking. I have friends that have been with their significant others for years and have a family together without being married. Their children receive the same benefits as any other child with married parents. A piece of paper and a shared last name have nothing to do with your ability to raise children.
It is because statistics have shown that married parents are more likely to continue together than unmarried parents. You can argue all you want about divorce statistics, but at least half of folks who are married stay together. Those who just live together, only 5-8% (depending on whose stats you read) are still together by the time the child is school aged. There is simply a greater level of commitment amongst those who are married vs. those who are not.





Heck even among trailer trash, the married folks are still more likely to be together for the next 20 years than the couple who is shacked up together.
Marriage does not make successful parents or a a successful family. Like parents who fight or if one is abusive (physically or mentally) or even parents who may be in the house but aren't supportive or available to the kids.





But if the parents are together and at home, the kids would benefit by seeing how parents work together, share, love, and how a family functions. A boy would learn how a man lives day to day and a girl would learn how to be a mom. The kids would also have 2 people to which they could ask questions and get different answers.



Because marriage is still a social norm for long-term partners. As anyone who did not ';fit in'; while growing up is painfully aware of, ';fitting in'; is important, especially for an individual who is still growing and trying to find themselves. Feeling that your family is somehow ';different'; - ';abnormal'; - may affect you in a negative way. Again, it might not; it depends on the individuals involved. But you asked a general question, so I'm giving a general answer.
i think this is an old fashioned theory that if the parents aren't married, then the kids will be 'bastards' in society. it use to put a certain stigma onto kids of unmarried parents. i think with all the unmarried, shacking up, bed hopping that goes on, it doesn't really matter anymore. we are a society of few values anymore.
what if you are a white chick and a mexican man valerie x? I'm not married and we are together but we have two kids. Dangit! Oh wooesh! Thanks Val!
If they hate each other and fight all the time, then I don't think it has any benefits.