what impact does divorce have on teenagers specifially?
106579
I had a classmate who was told on the telephone that her parents were divorcing. I have never seen anybody who looked as pained as she did. Their teen years are times when people have to deal with the very issues that divorce raises. They have self esteem issues.\n\nIf their parents' marriage was a mistake, are they themselves-a product of that marriage a mistake?. If their parents stop loving each other, will they stop loving their child? The parents didn't love the child enough to stay together for his/her sake. These teen years are the times when a child is supposed to question the values they have grown up with, decide whether they have been taught correctly and formulate their own code of behavior. What are they to do when the parents themselves are not faithful to ethics what they have taught the child?\n\nThese are years when the child is supposed to separate from the parents emotionally and become his/her own person. In rebelling against the parental authority, have they themselves caused a problem in the home that brought about the divorce? Is it the child's fault? Do they dare continue the process of separating from the parent? Or can they dare to continue to depend on either parent at all and would it be safer to cut all ties emotionally and not feel anything. Which parent are they to be loyal to? Which parent are they to remain emotionally attached to? Who is at fault? Why did this happen? Can they do anything to get the parents back together again? If the child indulges in self destructive behavior, will someone pay attention to him/her or are the parents interested only in themselves or in new lovers or new families?
313196
I assume you mean the poverty women experience AFTER a divorce?  I am currently reading material covering this question in order to complete a correspondence course on the History of the Family in America from BYU.  From the text: Domestic Revolutions: A Social History of American Family Life*  Ch. 10 pg.216 Quoting from the topic, The Femininzation of Poverty\n   "Today families headed by women are four and a half times as likely to be poorer than families headed by males. Teenagers who have children out of wedlock are seven times more likely to be in poverty. Although female-headed families constitute only 15% of the U.S. population, they account for 50% of the poor population. Teenagers and women in their early twenties who bear illegitimate children constitute a large segment of the population that remains poor and dependent on welfare for long periods of time." \n  Same ch. pg227   "...Economic disruption is the most ovvious consequence of a divorce. In the immeadiate aftermath of a divorce, the income of the divorced woman and her children falls sharply, by 73% in the year following divorce, while the father's income rises by 42%. \nAdding to financial pressures facing the children of divorce is the fact that a majority of divorced men evade court orders to support their children. Recent surveys indicate that only 40% of support orders are fully complied with during the first year after a divorce and that by the tenth year after seperation, the figure falls to 13%."\n  * This text was written by: Steven Mintz & Susan Kellogg, \nPub. 1988 by THE FREE PRESS, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. NY. NY    ISBN 0-02-921291-X\n   Good luck with your paper!!
1134534
Never..... Kids will learn to accept and understand divorce at any age, it just takes longer when they are under age 6.  If the marriage is that bad, your kids will see it and staying together for their sake will not help them at all.  It will only warp their view of what a relationship is to be when they are older.
689224
teenage marriage, teenage pregnancy, or premarital sex... if that's not good, how about the sociallly concerned topics, like the groupings between teenagers, like the popular, the geek, nerds, freaks... things like that... or if not... how about how teenagers could help in the environment or things like that?...
881283
Well it depends, I am a teenager and I have  a positive outlook on life. But I have a lot of friends that are bored sad and depressed because they have really bad grades. But I know some really smart teens that I think will grow up to do something useful. I do have alot of stress though. when i am stressed out, I break out so I try to only worry about stuff like what am I going to wear and do i look good.
466507
Alot of things,but each person's case is not the same. Go out to a club and ask people who've done it!!! Some people who are divorcing are okay with it,while some are not!
42018
Teenagers get depressed very easily. Whether it is because they do not fit in or they are not happy with their body type. Teenage girls are at more risk of depression then boys. More than likely they will not tell you what is wrong and pressuring them to tell you is not a good thing it will only cause tension at home. \n  You only thing you really can do give them more praise for things they do right like a good grade, how they look, or just do more family things that they enjoy. You have to help them through it even if you have to do it at a distance.\n\n\n"Factors involved in causing depression, include:\n \n·A history of depression in the family: It is believed that depression is passed genetically from generation to generation, although the exact way this occurs is not known. \n\n·Grief from the death or loss of a loved one. \n·Personal disputes, like conflict with a family member. \n·Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. \n·Major events that occur in everyone's lives, such as moving, graduating, changing jobs, getting married or divorced, retiring, etc. \n·Serious illness: depressed feelings are a common reaction to many medical illnesses. \n·Certain medications \n·Substance abuse: close to 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major depression. \n·Other personal problems: these may come in the forms of social isolation due to other mental illnesses, or being cast out of a family or social circle." From www.webmd.com\n\n\nBut listen VERY carefully do not take it lighty. It is a very serious matter. If it gets worse or you don't think you can help them talk go talk to a doctor.
779426
THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THEIR DIVORCE ARE THEIR CHILDREN !!!\nI FEEL SORRY FOR THOSE 2 (TWO) KIDS FOR HAVING THOSE LAME IRRESPONSIBLE PARENTS !!! :(
1006768
Absolutely not but it depends on what effects you anticipate the kids having because that's all up to how you handle to breakup and divorce in the first place.  If you and your husband are constantly fighting or your constantly miserable your kids already know that are are already being affected by it.  If you can't work things out and divorce is the only option then try as best you can to let the kids know that it has nothing to do with them but you understand that the consequences of your decision will effect them and your hoping to make that as easy on them as possible.  I was lucky.  My ex and I were able to salvage the respect we'd had for each other in such a way that we do share the kids and the kids don't feel torn.  It took time but now he and I are even able to enjoy each other's company now like we'd lost the ability to before the divorce.  We're no longer lovers, or in love, but we worked hard to retain some of the friendship we shared and our kids know and appreciate that.  NUMBER 1 RULE:  At all cost try not to belittle their father in front of them.  NUMBER 2 RULE:  Don't compare them to their father when they've done something you don't approve of.  Last, if at all possible, get your husband to go with you to discuss the terms of divorce and agreements regarding the kids with a counselor or mediator rather than a lawyer.  Then when it reaches the point of going to court you can both tell your lawyers this is what we want.  Don't let them play one against the other as they are prone to do.
972413
--> Teenagers today have it slightly easier in our current world because of society's slowly accepting ways; this is responsible for ____ occurring, in my opinion.
660425
Yes it has.  I also work in the legal field and our practice is mostly family law.  My divorce was pretty cut and dry.  I learned not to marry the first man you meet that is nice to you.  I also learned that there is life after divorce.  I'm married now to a wonderful man and have been in love with him for 20 years.
727556
I honestly believe that the reason there are so many divorces is because people get married when they are in the "honeymoon phase" of their relationship, have a fairtale wedding, and then expect a fairytale wedding.\nPeople need to realize that true love is when you love a person completely, including their faults.  \nI think people expect their partner to change or something to happen once they get married, or many times they don't even know their partner's irritating habbits.\nI think it is important to realize no matter how much you love someone and how great your relationship is, when you live with someone you see everything about them, and it isn't always what a person expects.\n\nA relationship obviously changes throughout the years a couple is together.  People change and mature and things that were important to us as children get put on the back burner.\nDoes that mean a relationship is better or worse?   No.
663511
Quite the conundrum.\n\nThere are such things as survivable marriages.  Divorce really should be a last, last, last resort, especially once kids are involved.\n\nThat said, there can be a point where more harm comes to the kids with a bitter marriage.  Mom and Dad never get along.  One or both drink too much, are never home, abusive, etc.  \n\nKids are fairly resilient.  They recover well so long as both parents remember that through divorce the kids needs are most important.  \n\nI'm in a good (not great) marriage.  I could easily get "lazy" and neglect my marriage based on this.  (Cheating, withdrawing etc) but the kids need a stable family and my life really isn't all that bad.  (After all, I CHOSE my wife and CHOSE to have kids).  \n\nDivorce is NEVER good when kids are involved.  It is a question of which is the worse of two evils:  A less than good marriage with the family working to hold together or a impulsive divorce that destroys kids faith in adults, parents and family.
444884
sorry to hear that kiddo.  my parents split up when i was like 10 and it was tough.  but now i'm 21 and i have good news--you'll get through it.\n\njust like everyone says, it isn't your fault.  divorce is so common these days that people forget that there are kids that are hurt every day because of it.  but the important thing for you to do is to keep your chin up, and don't hold your feelings inside.  talk to the people you feel comfortable with--your parents if they'll actually listen (not likely), a trusted teacher or school counselor, a family member like an aunt or uncle (grandparents are usually biased), or a good friend.\n\nas long as you let your emotions out, the loneliness and sadness you feel because of the divorce won't overwhelm you.  and last, make sure you make a resolution now:  that you'll marry a person that you know inside and out and that you know you can never fall out of love with.  even if it takes longer than you want it to, promise yourself that you'll never put your own family through what you're going through.  it'll give you strength to keep on.  good luck kid.
999085
"most" people..i dont think so.. just "a lot" of people.. my mom finally divorced my dad when I was 9.. but until I was 9 I had to watch him beat her up a few times a week.. it's emotionally scarring and totally unacceptable and my SO knows that if he touches me that way once it's over.
945133
The financial impact of divorce goes WAY past dividing things up 2 ways.  It's absolutely devastating.\nLet me just hang this out there and expect some negative feedback - I'm seriously "old school".\nA marriage covenant isn't performance driven - that's why we say "for better or worse".  It's isn't breakable - that's why we say "until death do us part".\nIf I had to guess, your brother fears divorce because deep inside he believes it to be wrong and he's afraid of carrying a load of guilt around.\nThere will be plenty of responses encouraging him to go ahead and be happy.  And while the "pursuit of happiness" is fine within a certain context, our society has taken that to an incredible level of selfishiness and self-absorption - life is now "all about me".\nThere is MUCH more I can say about this from personal experience but it would belong in another category.
844001
I guess it would depend on the circumstances of the divorce. Mine was due to lying, adultery, and mental illness (all on his part). After 12 1/2 yrs. of marriage and 2 1/2 yrs. of being apart it's getting harder and harder to remember the good times. I know they existed but the details are fuzzy now. I remember the hurtful times more - mostly because those are what you dwell on the most immediately after your spouse leaves. Emotions are usually high then and often negative. That is what sticks with you.\n\nAfter 27 yrs. of marriage I think it would be difficult to forget everything - especially if there were lots of good times (special vacation spots, things you both enjoyed doing together on a regular basis, events with the kids, etc.). It's a bit harder to go about rebuilding a new life after that kind of time together. You were probably so familiar to each other as the air you breathed at that point. I would have loved to get to that point in my marriage.\n\nPeople say after that long you take each other for granted, that things are 'boring'. That kind of being taken for granted and familiarity (also referred to as boring) has it's plus side. It has the opportunity to be a deeper, more satisfying, lasting love than what you can get from an affair or new relationship. Even while your brain is producing those wonderful chemical reactions to give you that 'in love' feeling it's hard to compare to 27 yrs. of someone being by your side. Even the stalest relationships can have new life breathed into them with a little effort and regular 'tune-ups'. Unless there was abuse I just couldn't imagine walking away from someone after that long. If it wasn't an amicable parting I feel very sorry for you both.