Throughout history, the family setting has changed quite drastically. We have gone from an atmosphere where Mom stayed home with the children, cooking and cleaning, while the "bread winning" Dad went off to work. Problems for the most part were ignored and the family unit stayed intact. These rules are no longer the same. Mom is no stranger to the work place, kids go to day care facilities and divorce is far from taboo. What has caused this change and how can we move to a society which strengthens these relationships?

Although no one expects it to happen to them, about twenty percent Americans go through a divorce at least once. Divorce happens due to both social and interpersonal reasons including difference in cultural values, gender roles, social institutions, technology, unrealistic expectations, communication and infidelity. In can be argued however that these problems are nothing new. These problems, although faced in the past, were ignored. Because there are no real statistics on the subject, we must question how many marriages were lived out unhappily. (Lathe, 2008)

The affects of divorce influence the life of the whole family and range from emotional to even physical effects. It is reported that divorcees experience a much higher rate of economic hardship, however; this is only usually true for the woman. The economic standing of the woman tends to drop approximately thirty six percent while the man's standing rises twenty eight percent. This may be due to the fact that women retain full custody of the children in eighty five percent of all divorces. Men are also known to neither visit nor pay child support nearly fifty percent of the time. Many will argue that divorce takes the largest toll on the children. It can cause a tremendous amount of mental pressure, drawing major distractions from school. This type of distraction can lead to lifelong hardship. (Lathe, 2008) Hillary Clinton once commented on this issue stating: "Recent studies demonstrate convincingly that ... children living with one parent or in stepfamilies are two to three times more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems as children living in two-parent families. ... Every society requires a critical mass of families that fit the traditional ideal, both to meet the needs of most children and to serve as a model for other adults who are raising children in difficult settings. We are at risk of losing that critical mass in America today." (Crouch)

Thankfully,

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Reducing divorces by understanding sex, money, and the media in marriages?
We want to hear your view. Write now!