According to recent media reports, the U.S. divorce rate has declined to just over 40 percent and married couples with children are less likely to divorce. In the 1980s, the divorce rate in the U.S. peaked at approximately 50 percent and has been in a slow decline ever since. Though this recent divorce news seems positive, many spouses continue to end their marriages.
“For better or worse” does not hold power over many couples. Reasons vary and children add a different type of stress to a marriage. Spouses must put continuous effort into their union and when they have children, this includes open communication and agreement regarding parenting style. Fathers must be involved with parenting and interacting with both their children and their wives or they risk becoming third wheels, say experts.
Despite the added challenges of parenting, research indicates that couples with children have more emotional investment in each other. They are less likely to divorce than are couples without children or those who do not value childrearing and family life, say some marriage counselors. This requires effort from both parents though fathers may need to make more effort to become involved in the lives of their children.
Surprisingly, technology, not parenting, seems to be an increasing cause for divorce. Smartphones, tablet computers, and laptops have permeated our daily lives and are tools of distraction. When spouses spend more time interacting with these devices than they do with each other, relationships can suffer. Counselors report that this technology is even making its way into the bedroom, affecting the romantic aspect of marital relations. It may not be long before changes to divorce rules/laws reflect the role of technology in breaking up a marriage.
U.S. marriage rates are at record lows and more than 50 percent of children born to women younger than 30 have unwed parents. Many couples are opting to bypass marriage in favor of other living arrangements such as cohabitation. This leaves fewer couples going through divorce when their relationship ends. However, marriage is not at risk of becoming extinct, leaving divorce lawyers with many cases to handle.
Whether dealing with a celebrity divorce or two average American spouses ending their union, divorce attorneys must prepare cases that consider division of property and spousal support. If the couple has children, child custody and support enter the negotiations. Lawyers must be aware of recent changes to divorce rules/laws in order to prepare cases that maximize client rights.
