After a talk in New York recently, a father leaned toward me as if about to confess something alarming. He had discovered that his teenage son had “done a little drinking” in college. Not reckless drinking. Not blackouts. Just the ordinary experimentation that has historically accompanied adolescence.
He waited for my reaction. I surprised him saying, “Honestly, that may not be the worst sign.”
Cwic Show, Apple Podcasts
The Tammy Peterson Podcast, Apple Podcasts
Male Sexlessness is Rising But Not for the Reasons Incels Claim
Slow But Sure: Does the Timing of Sex During Dating Matter?
Counterintuitive Trends in the Link Between Premarital Sex and Marital Stability
Does Having Children Make People Happier in the Long Run?
Does Sexual History Affect Marital Happiness?
© 2026 Institute for Family Studies
© 2026 Institute for Family Studies
Interested in learning more about the work of the Institute for Family Studies? Please feel free to contact us by using your preferred method detailed below.
P.O. Box 1502
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 260-1048
For media inquiries, contact Chris Bullivant ([email protected]).
We encourage members of the media interested in learning more about the people and projects behind the work of the Institute for Family Studies to get started by perusing our "Media Kit" materials.
Before you go, consider subscribing to our weekly emails so we can keep you updated with latest insights, articles, and reports.
Before you go, consider subscribing to IFS so we can keep you updated with news, articles, and reports.
We’ll keep you up to date with the latest from our research and articles.