Chivalry’s Not Dead

It has often been said that chivalry is dead, but new research by The University of Virginia suggests that couples who stick to old-fashioned values often have healthier and longer lasting relationships.

It is common for couples to live in de facto relationships, and this can be perceived as a natural and healthy progression in a relationship. Interestingly, this study says that people with fewer sexual partners prior to marriage are far happier once they are married. It also highlights that couples who move in together only once they are married, or with the intention of marriage, have a higher expectancy of maintaining a long lasting relationship. In the same way, couples who choose to make their relationship official with a marriage ceremony are shown to have longer lasting relationships. Perhaps it is due to the support of community, or the public recognition of the relationship, but couples who have a larger amount of wedding guests also appear to have more sustainable relationships. What’s more, while it is common to have children prior to marriage, there is a greater possibility of a relationship breaking up when this occurs. You can read the study here.

So what does this mean for you? Are you in a healthy, stable relationship? What can you do to take your relationship to the next level? Perhaps this means considering marrying your partner or committing completely to them? For parents, this could mean speaking to their young adult children about what creates a healthy long term relationship and showing them the research to suggest they navigate these major life events with great thought.

And if you already have children? Perhaps this research shows us that the family unit is more stable within the context of marriage. Consider discussing how to solidify your relationship and in doing so, you can facilitate a stable environment for your children.

It may seem old fashioned, but taking the traditional steps to recognise and maintain a relationship seems to be the best for us. Chivalry’s not dead- in fact it seems to be a factor in creating and maintaining healthy long-term relationships. How can you be more chivalrous in your relationship?

Do you want to take your relationship to a new level? Would you like to discuss how to best prepare for a family?  Here’s what you need to do: contact WatersedgeCounselling on 0434 337 245 for a FREE 10-minute phone consultation on how we can best help you, or press book now to book in our online diary.