Built to Break? — An Evidence Guide & Toolkit

Why did marriage, family, and dating change so fast — and what can your family do about it?

Built to Break? walks through two generations of change in American family life: no-fault divorce, the retreat from marriage, what TV, music, and phones teach kids about love, what the research says children lose, and the strongest arguments on the other side. Every major claim is labeled — DOCUMENTED (government data, law, published research), DISPUTED (where serious researchers disagree), or ARGUMENT — so you can check the evidence yourself.

Inside:

• Two models of marriage, and what changed from 1969 to today

• Who ends marriages, the education gap, and the marriage retreat — by the numbers

• Culture & media: TV dads, music, phones, and the attention economy

• What it costs children and households, with the strongest counterarguments answered

• Part 5 toolkit: before-you-marry conversations, marriage-protecting habits, a family media plan, plus printable worksheets (expectations worksheet + family media plan)

Who it’s for: couples deciding what kind of marriage they want, parents raising kids in a phone-first culture, young adults wondering why dating feels broken, and pastors, mentors, and teachers who need sourced facts.

US edition. Research checked October 2, 2026, with full sources listed. General information, not counseling, legal, or medical advice.

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