Divorce

Sometimes in life people do something they probably never dream about doing and that is divorce.  After reading articles, hearing testimonies in class, and seeing and hearing data about divorce and blended families, I feel a lot more informed. 
At what point should you divorce?  In class, we decided that neglect/abuse, substance, and adultery were all very valid reasons for divorce, but outside of that, nobody really had an answer.  It is such a personal choice. Studies do show that 70% of couples that work through marital issues over a 5 year span, are very or somewhat satisfied that they never divorced.

We talked about effects of divorce on a family.  Here are some of the results:
1- Children of a divorced parent will most often divorce themselves.
2-Children in a divorced home will often blame themselves because often times the parents end up fighting over them.
3-If there is legal custody of a child and it is 50/50, the child tends to have more "power" over their parents.
4-62% of a mother and child will go in poverty when father is out of the picture
5-The lifestyle of parents change because dad is now paying child support and often times will have to move further away (400 miles on average) to get a better income to pay for two households.

President James E. Faust said, "The traumatic experience one goes through in divorce seems little understood and not well enough appreciated; and certainly there need to be much more sympathy and understanding for those who have experienced this great tragedy and whose lives cannot be reversed. For those who are divorced, there is still much to be hoped for and expected in terms of fulfillment and happiness in life, in the forgetting of self and in the rendering of service to others."

This class has changed my life on insights into families and relationships. I hope to take this knowledge as I continue to raise my family. Again, thanks for following this blog- I have appreciated your comments.

My Forever Family!