Divorce and Children at Risk

Divorce and Children at Risk

Michelle Floria

Chapman University

Prof Volbeda

March 16 , 2008

Introduction

Regardless of sex , race , age , or religion divorce often has devastating , and long term effects on children . Many people have felt the effects of divorce , but the toll it takes on children is a big burden for them to carry . Often the parents going through the divorce are so caught up in their anger and sadness the children suffer even more . The effects of divorce on children are immediate and can be seen

through sadness , anger , and their behavior . Divorce is a growing problem in the United States leaving mothers single and poverty stricken which hinders the lives of their children . In addition to this , divorce has a devastating effect when it comes to damaging relationships between parents and their children . This will address the statistics of divorce , effects of divorce on children , the change in the home environments , and what we can do to help our children through this tough time

Statistics

United States has the highest divorce rate and highest amount of single parent homes . USA Today states that , The U .S . divorce rate is 17 .7 per 1 ,000 married women , down from 22 .6 in 1980 . The marriage rate is also on a steady decline : a 50 drop since 1970 from 76 .5 per 1 ,000 unmarried women to 39 .9 , says the report , whose calculations are based on an internationally used measurement (2008 . The news article also states that , The USA has the lowest percentage among Western nations of children who grow up with both biological parents , 63 , the report says (2008 . These are staggering statistics if we think about how many children are brought into the world and how many will end up with out both parents in the household

According to Americans for Divorce Reform , 40 or even possibly 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce if current trends continue ' This means that millions of children are currently coping with the after affects of the break up of their family and the resulting stressors caused by this disruption in their life (Suite 101 .com , Feb 2008

According to Divorce Magazine the number of single parents within the United State is : males 2 .04 million and females 9 .68 million . The magazine has found that the following statistics happens within a fatherless home : 63 of youth suicides , 90 of homeless /runaway children , 85 of children with behavior problems , 71 of high school dropouts , and 85 of youths in prison , well over 50 of teen mothers (Divorce Magazine , 2008 . Where do these statistics show that our society is going in regards to marriage ? Many people are not getting married today , and the children in those families who parents are separating are unaccounted children who are affected by their parents splitting . This certainly affects the children and shows that the marriage bond is no longer a strong bond that holds a family together through the good and the bad...