Ok, so I have this post in Monday Morning Updates and it's not Monday morning, and it isn't really an update. It is Monday, and the content - sort of - updates other reports, mentioned in other posts. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Now, on to the changing nature of marriage- look what I found when cruising around the net recently,

"Educated women less likely to skip marriage and motherhood."

This is from March 2004, but...I found it very relevant to today's woman. That age-old question, What do women want? - keeps popping up in the news, on TV, on the web, in print - you name it. Never mind, Freud. No one believes him anymore (I'm sure psychology students and professors will argue that point). Regardless, the fervent wish of many, many businesses - both large and small - is to understand the female mind - so, understanding the changing nature of marriage seems like a good place to start.

When I come across articles like this one I always try to read between the lines. This time, I didn't have to. The short, 2-page, article told me everything I needed to know.

Here it is, in a nutshell...and, I must say, it supports much of what I've been saying - that women and men are on equal footing these days, and that partnerships are the name of the game. Never forget that the person in charge of signing your purchase order, or approving your sale, just might be a woman. When you discount our role in the decision making process, you disrespect us. And lose the sale. (for example- this is my daughter, who has her own business, and is the mother of 7year-old Miah - she makes all her own decisions).

To quote, "The very nature of marriage is changing," according to Elaina Rose, a University of Washington associate professor of economics. "It has become less about what economists refer to as 'specialization and exchange' - wife taking responsibility for the home while the husband brings home the bacon - and more about shared roles and commonality of backgrounds."

Further study also showed that, though educated women do tend to have less children, that gap is slowly closing, also. No comment was made on why - but you can bet it's because more and more Dads are pitching in to help, these days.

Remember that, when you're preparing your marketing campaign. Just because women are standing tall and demanding to be treated right - doesn't mean we are abandoning our roots. We still like men (some of us just love the big buggers!) and we even like children.

What we don't like is being told when to get married, who to marry, and when it comes to kids, let us make up our own minds. We might have'em. We might not.

So, treat us with courtesy, respect our individuality, and make sure you never make us feel as if we need permission to buy your products and services. Jane is capable of making her own decisions, thank you. And...she just might be making Dick's for him, too. Don't say I didn't warn you.