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I deleted that because I felt I got off topic a bit. I think making such a big commitment early on meant there wasn’t any backing out and forced us to make things better. I also think when you think you have the right person, you should go for it. There’s no guarantees someone better will ever come along.
I think we should instead be teaching what to look for in a healthy long term relationship, doesnt matter the age. I got married at 22. Am happily married 5 years later and we are expecting our first. I was very selective with who I dated before my now husband and was very selective with him as well. I turned down many other guys who it would have been fun to date, but did not meet what I wanted in someone long term. Let's teach our kids the difference between someone you would want to date short term/just for fun and who to date long term. >

This is great. >

I married young and we’ve made it work. One plus is that I don’t get compared to an ex in any way. Just because you marry young doesn’t mean the house and kids come right away, or even at all. It’s great having someone who’s your dependable support that you can consistently confide in. Being single for me meant less freedom because I was too broke to afford to move out on my own and have my own vehicle. Together we could do that. We could’ve just moved in together, but neither of us believed that was the right thing for us religiously and we both had zero doubts about getting married. I don’t think getting married young is detrimental. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things all at once. College, marriage, kids, mortgage, car loans, and career goals all come with a stress load. Balancing the load is key. >

True. I think my point was more people don't fully know who they are at younger ages, so trying to build a life with someone while still growing and learning about yourself and the world is a big reason why relationships fall apart in the long run. It also depends on the values with which you were raised.