Q: I'm concerned, because I'm in my late 20's and my mother wants me to get married. What should I say? ~ JazmineA: I have yet to understand why some parents get so weird about their kids getting married before a certain age. Perhaps I can't relate because that's the one thing I don't have to worry about from my parents. I've, luckily, never been pressured to get hitched or get knocked up. But if I did, I'd tell 'em to back the hell off and gimme some space. Well, not in those terms since they'd most likely slap me into next week, but you know what I'm saying. This is the 21st century for crying out loud! The average age at (the first) marriage has steadily increased since...forever.
My parents got married in '66, when my mom was just 20. I did my research (No, I don't just ramble about things. I do know some stuff and check my sources. haha!). Back in the 60s, the average age for women to get married was 20.3. Look like Mom was right on track. In 2007, the average age was 26 for women. Let's see here...I'm 27. OH NO! I'm past the average age to get married. Somebody alert the authorities! DAMN! My life is over!
Gimme a break.
But wait! If it's the average, then that means some people are older than the average and some are younger when they get married, right? Okay, so what's the big deal?
It seems to me that parents should be more concerned with their kid being happy, than their own seemingly selfish need for grandbabies and son-in-laws that can help clean out the attic. It's also seems that more women feel this pressure than men. I attribute that to our own self-inflicted ideas of when we should be married, on top of pressure from parents, soon-to-be-hitched friends, and the WE channel's insatiable need to inundate us with damn-near 24 hours of incessant wedding programming 365 days a year. Men don't deal with that nonesense. You ever seen Groomzillas on ESPN?
Sure she wants you to get married and be happy. But getting married to the next thing with opposite parts just to make her happy won't do a thing for your personal satisfaction. Tell Moms you are in search of a significant other...not a ring and sperm donor. You will get married when you find someone who makes you happy and not a moment before. You're in the late 20s...which means you're probably knocking on 30. Time to put your foot down. And if she doesn't cease and desist the chatter about how you're not getting any older, halt the convo immediately when you hear her starting to go in that direction. But be nice about it, of course. At the end of the day, she undoubtedly has your best interest at heart.
