Consider This
Prior to 1969, there were too many unhappy marriages. Since 1969, and no-fault divorce, there have been too many divorces – 4,000,000 babies are born each year in the USA – 2,000,000 will see their family ruined from divorce before turning 18 and 1,000,000 of those will see a parent divorce twice before age 18. This EPIDEMIC affects more people than Cancer, Aids and Diabetes COMBINED!
Kids are resilient. They fall down, scrape their knees, get up and keep on running like nothing happened. Every day we’re amazed at their courage and ability to bounce back from all kinds of adversity. One challenge stumps them, however, like no other – their parents’ divorce – a loss unmatched even by the death of a parent. A tragedy so earth shattering they carry the emotional scars of it well into adulthood.
More than wanting the latest game, toy, piece of clothing or vacation. Or anything remotely similar. Our children’s greatest wish is simply to grow up in one home with both their parents. And when they’re all grown up, the greatest gift they could receive on their wedding day would be to have mom and dad standing there arm in arm, having done the hard work necessary to honor their commitment to each other and their children. Divorce strips them of this gift!
It’s easy to say kids are resilient – it’s what divorce advocates have been saying for over 40 years. History has proven otherwise. To cope, large numbers turn to drugs, alcohol, sex and suicide. Some become delinquents, underachievers and depressives. Record numbers end up impoverished. Those who fare better still carry heavy emotional scars into adulthood. All are 89% more likely to divorce as adults. And they die on average five years earlier than their friends from intact families.
Despite the serious side effects, kids have no voice in the destiny of their own family and sadly, each year over one million of their little voices go unheard , drowned out when the divorce gavel sounds even though divorce shapes – and often devastates – their lives the most and forever when their parents’ marriage ends.
Marriage rates are at an all-time low and growing lower. Divorce still hovers around the 50% mark, and 2nd and 3rd marriages divorce at 65% and 74% respectively. Cohabitation rates are at an all-time high and growing higher – and these breakups effectively move the number of children of divorce higher…
What They’d Say.
If children could articulate in adult words what they feel in their hearts, they’d tell their parents things like… Get An Education, Keep Your Promises, Don’t Ever Quit…because that’s what their parents teach them to do, isn’t it?
CLICK on each sign to see more about what THEY’D SAY…
Did You Know?
MARRIAGE
• Since 1970, and the no-fault divorce era, the marriage rate has declined by almost 60% (1)
• Since 1970, cohabitation has risen over 1,000%
• Of the 8 million co-habitating couples, only 20% go on to get married. (2)
• At the existing rate of decline, it is projected that by 2034 (only 20 years from now!) the U.S. marriage rate will reach ZERO. (3)
DIVORCE
• The divorce rate in the United States tripled between 1960 and 1980, and has continued to be at the root of the downfall of traditional families.
• Today, the divorce rate across the nation is about 50% (4)
• 2nd marriages divorce at a rate of about 65% - 3rd marriages at a rate of about 73%.(5)
• Divorce affects more people than Cancer, AIDS, and Diabetes COMBINED!
• Cohabitating couples living together before marriage, are 61% more likely to get divorced (2)
• The risk of divorce is 50% higher when one spouse comes from a divorced home, and 200% higher risk when both of them do (6)
• 4 million babies are born each year in America -approx.- 2 million of them will be the victims of a broken home before age 18 - 1 million of those will see a parent divorce twice before age 18.
• There are 4,000 new children of divorce each DAY in the USA - 1.5 million per year. (7)
• 75% of children born to co-habitating parents will see their parents split up before they reach age 16 – effectively moving the number of ” children of divorce ” higher!(8)
EFFECTS ON CHILDREN
• Children of divorce have higher rates of smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy and suicide. (4)
• Children of divorce often fall behind their classmates in math and social skills, and are more likely to suffer anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem. (9)
• Children of divorce have a higher risk of developing health problems - likely due to “very significant stress” from the dramatic life changes of a divorce. (10)
• 28% of children living with a divorced parent live in a household with an income below the poverty line. (11)
• Children of divorce are 89% more likely to divorce as adults, perpetuating this endless cycle
• Children of divorce die almost 5 years earlier than those from intact families. (12)
REFERENCES
1. National Center for Family and Marriage Research
2. Penn State University
3. The University of Virginia – National Marriage Project
4. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
5. The Today Show
6. CNN
7. Sesame Street Workshop
8. Rutgers University – National Marriage Project
9. University of Wisconsin – Madison
10. University of California – Berkeley
11. U.S. Census Bureau
12. The Longevity Project – Hudson Press