The Effects of Divorce on the Well-Being of a FamilyWorks Cited Not IncludedBoy Meets Girl. Girl and boy fall in love and get married. Girls and boys have children and life couldn't be better. Several years later: the boy and the girl begin to notice something different in their relationship, something wrong. They decide their relationship is over, whether or not they are both happy with that decision, and they divorce. The children of boys and girls see them divorce. Children experience divorce in different ways and it stays with them for the rest of their lives. People who go through divorce are affected by it, whether they like it or not. Most often, these effects are negative. Before a parent makes a rash decision and before a child judges their parents for ruining them, let's take a look at what people call DIVORCE and how it affects those involved. We all know what divorce is, but the official definition is very interesting and has a little more power. Merriam-Webster defines it as: 1: the action or instance of legally dissolving a marriage; 2: separation, rupture; 3a: end the marriage with (one's spouse) through divorce; b: to dissolve the marriage contract between; 4: to terminate an existing relationship or union (www.Merriam-Webster.com). As you can see, the definition of divorce does not include the words joyful, happy and wonderful, especially for children. How common is divorce in America? Statistically, a large number of married couples in the United States choose divorce. In 2003, in the United States, about 45% of couples whose first marriage ended in divorce. The divorce rate for couples in second marriages was 58 percent (smartmarraiges.com). Then there are those couples who thought about divorce, but for different reasons decided to stay married. A Gallup poll in the United States found that 40 percent of married people had considered leaving their partner, and 20 percent said they were dissatisfied with their marriage about half the time (Olson and Defrain 1994, p. 6). According to the U.S. Census, the total number of divorces finalized each year in the United States was 957,200 in 2000 and 944,317 in 1998. If Americans maintain this rate, in a few years we will be proud to report an annual divorce rate higher than what we could have had. I like to think of (www.census......in the middle of a paper......more than a legally binding piece of paper between two people. Divorce seems to be the sworn enemy of a happy, fulfilling life.According to the National Survey of Families and Households, 86 percent of married couples who survived tough times found that five years later their marriage was better than ever, that they were happier in their lives than they have ever been, feel better and are grateful that they did not make a bad decision (www.nsfa.com exact reference needed). couples always divorce and families are torn apart. Everyone experiences divorce differently, but there is a difference there is no doubt that divorce is difficult for everyone involved. children They are the future and they must reach their full potential. By making good decisions, we can lead them to far exceed their full potential. By being informed about divorce, we make better decisions about marital problems. Hopefully people will think twice about the future consequences for them and..