Final answer:
The females profiled in the given texts express varied beliefs on the ideal age for childbearing and marriage, reflecting a modern trend towards delaying both for personal and professional reasons. Marrying too young and early childbearing are seen as conflicting with individual goals and societal pressures, especially for women.
Step-by-step explanation:
The females profiled in Promises to Keep hold various beliefs regarding the ideal time for childbearing and marrying. Historically, girls often married very young, between fourteen and eighteen years old, to a much older man, due to being seen as more sexually pure. However, modern views from surveys such as the National Survey of Family Growth (2013) indicate that a significant percentage of youth believe it's acceptable for an unmarried female to have a child. With the advent of high-demand careers and the desire for personal and professional autonomy among women, many are postponing both marriage and childbearing.
The consensus seems to be that marrying too young and having kids at a young age poses challenges that may conflict with personal growth and career goals. Due to social changes, economically and in gender roles, the timing of marriage and childbirth has shifted, and these societal transformations reflect the concerns and changes in attitude towards starting a family. The pressure to marry appears to differ between genders, with single women facing greater scrutiny than single men, according to (Roberts 2007). Nonetheless, societal attitudes are evolving as more women feel empowered to live independently from marital status.
In sum, the greater concern among those profiled seems to be the question of balancing the timing of marriage and childbearing with achieving personal development and professional ambitions, indicating a trend of delaying both to later in life.