The pros, cons of marrying young
Counsel will help this union survive
The classic saying goes that age is nothing but a number, but is it really? When it comes to getting married, does that number suddenly matter?
In South Africa, minors can get married provided that their parents give consent, but the truth is that not a lot of parents are queuing up to do that.
In September, Sowetan broke a story of two high school pupils who got engaged at school, only for the school management to break off their engagement and suspended the two learners.
Eighteen-year-old Mduduzi Tlou and his 16-year-old girlfriend had gotten engaged after eight months of dating and both expressed how they wanted to get married in two years’ time.
The school, however, was not happy, and after suspending them, Sowetan spoke to Gauteng education spokesman Steve Mabona, who said that the pupils acted indecently by kissing and touching in front of their schoolmates, and that such behaviour would not be tolerated.
Surprisingly, the parents of both the pupils were very supportive of the union, with Tlou’s grandfather Jacob Xaba expressing that he was even willing to give his grandson his entire savings for lobola.
When it comes to young people getting married, the masses seem to be polarised. Some people believe that one can only handle the responsibility of marriage in their late 20s, while some people believe that the early you get married, the better.
Clinical psychologist Mampho Mofokeng says being married at a young age carries both advantages and disadvantages.
“Many experts agree that an adult’s brain fully matures at around the age of 21. This is the reason why most states will only allow a person to enter into a lawful contract at that age; because you are a fully fledged adult and are cognisant of the decisions you make.
“Without even getting technical, think about it: we are not the same people we were today when we were 16. Some of the things we deemed important are seen as trivial now.
“Also, some of the people we thought were ‘the one’ turned out to be nothing but puppy love in our journeys of self-discovery. So it can be a bit of a challenge to find yourself in an institution like marriage, which, ideally should be till death do us part, and at that young age, most people are not really thinking that far.
“Having said that, there is something about growing with a person that brings about an incredible bond in the sense that all the life experiences, mistakes and momentous stages were shared with that one person that you are married to, and have been from a young age.
“Will it be difficult? Absolutely, especially because the young couple may have no point of reference when it comes to how to handle and navigate a lifelong commitment like marriage. But if a young couple can look at it with a sense of adventure and a journey together, then they may just have hope of survival,” she says.
Mofokeng adds that if a young couple chooses to take this big step towards a holy matrimony, they would need a lot of help along the way. “A young couple will need a strong support system, which can be found through close family ties or even counselling.”
She says that a willingness to learn and be patient with each other will also be vital.
“It will be very important to keep the lines of communication open, and to be honest about your feelings. If you feel that you are struggling with certain aspects of marriage, like the massive responsibility that comes with parenthood for example, it would be immensely helpful to not only communicate with your partner about it, but also be willing to both seek help professionally.”