However, just because teens wait to become married does not mean that they wait to share the privileges that married couples share. Today, sex before marriage is widely practiced. Many couples, who are not even considering marriage, have sex. Chances are that if a teen couple is thinking about marriage, they probably have already had intercourse. Allowing the teens to become married would only encourage sex before they are fully prepared to handle the responsibilities that come along with it, such as pregnancy.

             Some may argue that if teens feel they have the potential for a lasting marriage, they should not have to wait; however, just because the teens think they have what it takes, does not mean they actually have what it takes. They really do not know what it takes to make a marriage last. The only thing they know is what they have seen, i.e. in their parents" marriages. Sadly, that seems like a bad place to look for an influence, as so many marriages today are failing. It is unlikely that they will receive useful information out of an unsuccessful marriage. Today, "married couples are so busy managing their marital lives that they tend to eliminate all the fun of being together" (Holt 1). Teens will not be able to know what is needed to make a marriage work until they have a glimpse of what marriage is really all about. Statistics show that if a seventeen-year old girl waits two years before marrying, it can cut her chances of becoming divorced in half (Ayer 52). Teens need to wait and see if they can grow with one another. If they can learn to do that, they are on the pathway to finding a happy marriage. After all, "change yourself and your partner will change" (Tobin 2).

             Others may still have the old fashion beliefs. They feel that just cause for teens to get married would be if the teen was already pregnant. They see it as the right choice to make.