No, co-habitation is NOT 'just the same'.
Too often, those who have children end up taking from the rest of us, to support their kids. That's NOT fair.
Those who marry, create a bond. With that bond, comes obligations that may chafe. They restrict the freedom of the individual, in order to better raise children.
Those who co-habit, toss away those obligations to a spouse. They also aren't picking up their share of the support/obligation for those children.
One of my former co-workers has her male "partner" raising her daughter (not his, IIRC).
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, good on him for helping with a child that isn't his. But shame on them both for not actually marrying.