Changes predicted in limits of marriage

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 6

Changes predicted in limits of marriage

It is statistically no> A mal these days for New Zealand girls to be pregnant when they get married. members of the Early Childhood Care and Development Convention were told yesterday. Mr David Swain, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Waikato, used this and other statistics to answer the question, which was also the topic of his lecture, "What’s happening rto the New Zealand Family?" Referring to ex-nuptial pregnancies, Mr Swam said parents would have to: accept their children’s sexuality. “Then children may listen Ito what their parents have to say about contraception," he said. “It is no use telling them to be self controlled. . . that will not reduce the level of-ex-nuptial pregnancies.” Diversity Mr Swain said that the Crophets of doom seemed to elieve that the New Zealand family was in imminent’ danger of disappearance or at least decline. He did not agree that

, there was one typical New Zealand family, but suggested there was a diversity of family types. He agreed that the New ■ Zealand family was changing , and that things had only begun to change, but did not believe that the family was ■collapsing. Mr Swain emphasised the importance and impact of the women’s movement on ■ the family. “When looking at what is happening to the New Zea- : land family we must look at what is happening to the

; New Zealand woman and the 'consequences on the men and children that follow on fro'm that.” Even if specific achievements were difficult to identify, the movement was a major factor to take into account, he said. Demographic data showed that dramatic changes were now in process in many areas, including an importreproduction. The birth rate was declining so rapidly that something would have to be done 'about it, he said. Although statistics were not completely satisfactory they did show how the New Zealand family was changling. Childless People were getting married younger now than they ■ did at the turn of the century and women were having fewer children but having them earlier. This meant that parents could “look forward” to a longer time together after their last child had left home. In the beginning of the century women spent about 67 per cent of their adult life rearing children compared with 35 per cent today. More couples were choosing to remain childless. Behaviour patterns were

"also changing, said Mr i Swain, and some things that. were once considered deviant were now evolutionary. “The overseas sociological literature is now including 1 material on sexual swinging, communal living and multi-: lateral marriage, as well asi 1 less radical innovation. It' would be foolish to suggest! that such innovation was not under way in New Zealand. but it is still infrequent and mostly quite! ■ discreet. Edge of change “There is probablv a threshold effect. A new behav-! 1 iour or concept slowly becomes accepted by a minor-1 ity which grows, and at some point acceptance be-; I conies widespread." Mr Swain said that extramarital sexual intimacy was on that threshold now, but multilateral or group mar-' riage had not yet reached the threshold. "The next generation will! probably be quite like the present but diversity will -in-! creasingly be seen not as a ■threat but as a human necessity. “Most people will go on doing the same but a minor-, ity will see the changes else-’ where and do something about it here. We are on the edge of change.” |