In their book Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood Before Marriage, Edin and Kefalas examine the lives of 162 low-income single mothers. In this excerpt, they demonstrate that poor, unmarried mothers have not given up on the idea of marriage. Click here to access the article:
1. Part of the government's war on poverty has been to promote marriage among the poor. How do you feel about this strategy?
2. Why do the women believe that divorce is worse than having a baby outside of marriage?
3. As Jen appears to be on a positive path, what lessons do you take from her story?
4. What conclusions do the authors make about Jen and the other women they studied?