By Debra Macleod

As a former divorce mediator, and current couples and family mediator, I have heard every excuse that parents use to feel better about breaking up their family. In this article, I’ve outlined several of the most common lies that you might be telling yourself if you’re considering divorce. Before you believe them, or give up on your marriage, you might want to check out my Marriage SOS book series and do some serious soul-searching.


1. My kids want me to be happy.
No, your kids want their biological mom and dad to get their act together, behave like grownups, and create a stable, happy home for them. Kids are focused on their own happiness and childhood gives them that privilege.

2. My kids will be better off.
Probably not. Research shows that children of divorce experience higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems. They are also more likely to experience poverty and mistreatment, whether it is outright abuse or cruel indifference, from an unrelated adult in the home.

3. My next marriage will be better.
That’s unlikely. Second and subsequent marriages have higher divorce rates than first marriages. Why? Because people rarely change and tend to repeat the same poor behaviors. Plus, subsequent marriages often involve stepkids and blended families, which ramps up the drama and conflict all the more.

4. My relationship with my children won’t change.
Yes, it will. A parent who does not live under the same roof as his or her child cannot have the same stature or influence in that child’s life as a parent who does. Whether it’s a 2 a.m. nightmare or a house fire, you’re simply not there to do your job.

Regardless of the reason for the divorce, chances are good that at some point, your child will resent you for breaking up the family unit. Even worse, your child will likely blame him/herself, rationalizing that he/she was not “lovable” enough for the biological parents to work through their problems.

5. I won’t have any regrets.
You probably will. Once emotions have cooled and you have your distance, you’ll look back and wonder whether you should have worked harder to save your marriage and family. This regret will deepen as you move into old age and realize you will never feel the pride that comes with having your children and grandchildren admire you as the family patriarch or matriarch.

6. We shouldn’t stay together for the kids.
Actually, I can’t think of a better reason to stay and work through your problems with humility and determination. Help is out there for those who have the strength of character to be accountable and ask for it.

7. Divorce will solve my problems.
If you have kids together, divorce won’t solve your problems; it will only create a new set of problems. You will worry about your ex-husband’s new girlfriend, and whether she’ll call you if your child gets sick or scared. You will worry about your ex-wife’s new boyfriend, and whether he’s the one giving your child a bath.

Don’t fool yourself. It’s unlikely your ex-spouse will remain single for long, and once he or she starts dating, you will have no control over the strangers that waltz in and out of your child’s life.


8. Kids are resilient and will adapt to the new situation.
Think this won’t affect them in the long-term? Kids don’t adapt … they make do. When you break up their home or bring your new love interests into their life, they hunker down emotionally and do their best to cope. Like it or not, you have taught them that love is unreliable. As adults, children of divorce are more likely to also be divorced and break up their own families.

Of course, divorce isn’t always a bad thing. It’s the best course of action in some cases, such as abuse, unmanaged personality disorders and infidelity, to name a few. There are rare cases where one spouse is entirely at fault and where kids are better off having a destructive or dangerous parent out of their home or even out of their life.

But the fact is, most broken homes are caused by two self-focused, short-sighted adults who wallow in their own misery and rancor for each other, instead of keeping their promises to work through their problems—to put their spouse’s needs ahead of their own and to see conflict from his or her point of view; to put their obligations as parents above their own pettiness as partners and to do whatever it takes to bring happiness back into their marriage and home.

Frankly, I don’t see a lot of people doing this. They’re quick to anger, quick to blame, and quick to bail. They always think the grass will be greener over the next fence. Personally and professionally, I think it’s time for spouses to put family obligation at the top of the list, far above the shifting sands of personal desires.

Why? Because obligation provides staying power. A sense of obligation toward your spouse and children is the glue that keeps the home together through the weak and angry spots, giving strength and love a chance to return. It binds a couple together while they work through their problems.

A sense of obligation to others is a virtue, but it’s one that our self-focused culture has largely abandoned. The ancient Romans called it pietas. In its loosest sense, it was the highly-esteemed “sacred duty” to one’s biological family, one that superseded self-interest. It’s an Old World virtue that the New World would be wise to embrace.

Debra Macleod is a YourTango Expert and couples’ mediator turned relationship author-expert who uses her extensive training, experience and skill set to help individuals and couples save their relationships, avoid divorce and make positive changes to their family and personal lives.

Got this from Yahoo news and felt I should share In difficult situation, fix, but in abuse RUN

....datz why its always better to stay in ur marriage even if ur husband panel beats u daily...till he finally kills u...so ur kids wont blame u or blame themselves for the divorce if u pack up and leave...



Please...situations differ. Think & act wisely. Ur child will rather have u alive than dead.

Creamish:
....datz why its always better to stay in ur marriage even if ur husband panel beats u daily...till he finally kills u...so ur kids wont blame u or blame themselves for the divorce if u pack up and leave...



Please...situations differ. Think & act wisely. Ur child will rather have u alive than dead.

Did you take your time to go through the article? I doubt... Even if you were too busy to do I think this quote from the article can clear your doubts
"Of course, divorce isn’t always a bad thing. It’s the best course of action in some cases, such as abuse, unmanaged personality disorders and infidelity, to name a few. There are rare cases where one spouse is entirely at fault and where kids are better off having a destructive or dangerous parent out of their home or even out of their life".

And again I wrote on the last line "In difficult situation, fix, but in abuse RUN"

favoured234:


Did you take your time to go through the article? I doubt... Even if you were too busy to do I think this quote from the article can clear your doubts
"Of course, divorce isn’t always a bad thing. It’s the best course of action in some cases, such as abuse, unmanaged personality disorders and infidelity, to name a few. There are rare cases where one spouse is entirely at fault and where kids are better off having a destructive or dangerous parent out of their home or even out of their life".

And again I wrote on the last line "In difficult situation, fix, but in abuse RUN"

Got tired of reading thru 1-8 & not seeing anything to help someone whoz in an abusive relationship....next time, fix it somewhere in ur first paragraph. Ur piece will make any1 thinking of running remain in the marriage cos its no better d 2nd time (see no.3).

Apart from the bit below, I fully endorse this piece. Divorce is always a bad thing .

favoured234:
Of course, divorce isn’t always a bad thing. It’s the best course of action in some cases...

TV

Creamish:


Got tired of reading thru 1-8 & not seeing anything to help someone whoz in an abusive relationship....next time, fix it somewhere in ur first paragraph. Ur piece will make any1 thinking of running remain in the marriage cos its no better d 2nd time (see no.3).

Yea I understand what reading this article to the end would entail (a bit of patience) that's why I mentioned in the last line that one can run in abuse....cos I thought everyone that gets tired will jump to the conclusion

TV01:
Apart from the bit below, I fully endorse this piece. Divorce is always a bad thing .




TV

In your own perspective, that's ok I don't think we will have to argue this out, but then, don't be fast to judge anyone that has gone through the process of divorce. I am not advocating for divorce but that could have been their best bet.

favoured234:


Did you take your time to go through the article? I doubt... Even if you were too busy to do I think this quote from the article can clear your doubts
"Of course, divorce isn’t always a bad thing. It’s the best course of action in some cases, such as abuse, unmanaged personality disorders and infidelity, to name a few. There are rare cases where one spouse is entirely at fault and where kids are better off having a destructive or dangerous parent out of their home or even out of their life".

And again I wrote on the last line "In difficult situation, fix, but in abuse RUN"

Nice summary . This should be in your first post for lazy readers like me .

It’s the best course of action in some cases, such as abuse, unmanaged personality disorders and infidelity, to name a few.

you named all these plus an unnamed few as good reason why people can get divorced.
Is there any there reason why folks get divorced?

Oh I get it. Your post is directed to those who get divorced or support divorce for silly reasons like

He's bored.
She put too much salt in the soup.
No more attraction between them.

To name but a few unreasonable reasons why partners split.

cococandy:
you named all these plus an unnamed few as good reason why people can get divorced.
Is there any there reason why folks get divorced?

Oh I get it. Your post is directed to those who get divorced or support divorce for silly reasons like

He's bored.
She put too much salt in the soup.
No more attraction between them.

To name but a few unreasonable reasons why partners split.

I don't think the article was focused on why people divorce or not.
Its more of some realities that people wouldn't want to acquaint themselves with in the course of a divorce...

BTW people actually divorce for the dumbest of reason and make it feel like a whole lot more than it actually is

You are damn right!
We learn to love ourselves FIRST. . . . . . And only love those who LOVE US ONLY.
Having learned that MARRIAGE is a joke first hand!!!!

Tough love o. . . NO HEART OR NYANSH BREAKS!!!!
Business only!

favoured234:

In your own perspective, that's ok I don't think we will have to argue this out, but then, don't be fast to judge anyone that has gone through the process of divorce. I am not advocating for divorce but that could have been their best bet.

When, or under what circumstances is divorce a good thing?
I haven't judged anyone - merely stated that divorce is always a bad thing.

TV

cococandy:
you named all these plus an unnamed few as good reason why people can get divorced.
Is there any there reason why folks get divorced?

Oh I get it. Your post is directed to those who get divorced or support divorce for silly reasons like

He's bored.
She put too much salt in the soup.
No more attraction between them.

To name but a few unreasonable reasons why partners split.

I thought as much of this too...cos my Mum was in an abusive relationship with my Dad but i really dunno what she too could have been doing to worsen d situation as she too may have had her own ish that complicates matters....

What this writer was just trying to say in my opinion is dat whatever reason you got to divorce whether good/bad....it is not likely gonna be rosy for you and d kids...so if it's not that bad try fixing it and don't divorce for the flimsiest of reasons like he's too dull & boring, she's no longer sexy as b4, she's rude etc....although i might personally wanna stay off a rude wife cos she can poison you if she feels like it.

Marriage is hard-work men...