Divorce

Alyssa Stoulil There have been many people who have studied and defined divorce. Divorce is when two people that have been legally married decide that they no longer want to be with each other and they take action to legally separate. The first person to get a divorce in England was John Manners. Going through Parliament was how divorces were granted back in the 1600’s and 1800’s. This was an expensive process and only wealthy people of this time were able to be granted a divorce. This is not the case anymore and it is much easier to obtain a divorce in today’s world (Cherlin, chapter 12).

Professionals need to understand that there are different reasons for divorce depending on each couple. This is important because an issue that seems big and unforgivable to one person may not be to another. This can cause many problems when it comes to working with people. If professionals do not understand what the person is going through it is really difficult for them to be able to help. They need to be open to all opinions and beliefs. If they are not they may get difficult to work with for the person because they do not understand what they are going through or why they have chosen to take a certain path. This is especially important when working with families that have children and they are being thrown into the mix of the divorce. The professional may be the person the child wants to confide in and they have to provide a positive outlook for the child. Cherlin, A. J. (2008). //Public and Private Families.// McGrawhill New York, NY.

Emily Smith Divorce affects children in many ways. In some cases, if the parents are civil, keep positive communication and speak positively of each other in front of the child or children, among many other things, it is possible that the process does not have to be a totally negative one. There are ways to help children understand and cope with divorce depending on the developmental age of the individuals involved. It is also important that parents adjust their behaviors and attitudes accordingly to make this process go as easily as possible for everyone involved, especially the children. There are a couple major things parents should avoid doing around the child or children involved; avoid putting the other parent down in front of the child, if the parents has to put the other down they should resort to a friend or support group where sharing these feelings openly is acceptable. Also, do not try to act as though nothing has changed, children notice odd behaviors and this may confuse them. Sometimes the older the child is when the divorce occurs, the more likely they are to understand and overcome the situation over time. However, this is a very traumatic time for young children and it is important that the situation be explained to them depending on what is developmentally appropriate. (PowerPoint from class on 4/15)

Chelsea Sternhagen The definition of divorce is a judicial declaration dissolving a marriage in whole or in part, that releases the [|husband] and wife from all matrimonial obligations. But not only is it a separation of a husband and wife, but it also at times the dissolution of a family. Historically, divorces were frowned upon and very uncommon. Many religions are against it; Catholics don’t believe in divorce. The only time a divorce was given was when there was proof that one of the parties had done something wrong. Modern times has shown us how times have drastically changed. Today many people get divorces, for many different reasons. Studies have shown that the younger a couple marries, the higher their chances are of getting a divorce. Now often times when a couple gets divorced, if children are involved they are put in the middle. Forced to choose between which parent they want to live with. Then their parenting styles are also changed going from a certain parenting style to co-parenting or parallel parenting. Parents now have to realize how much their decision can affect the child’s upbringing. Depending on the age of the child, the feelings and how they understand what the divorce means can all be different and should be handled in different ways. Since divorces are becoming increasingly common, children can look to each other for help, support and understanding. (Powerpoint 4/15)