Children and How They are Affected by DivorceIn years past, the American dream of most young girls is to grow up and be married to prince charming and to “live happily ever after”. After!" Although it might be expected, it is rarely achieved. Marriage is the legal and binding union between a man and a woman. Yet when couples marry, they swear to stand by their partner “till death do us part.” Currently, this vow seems to have little or no value in today's society. Current statistics on the survival of marriage are quite grim The divorce rate in the United States. is between 50 percent and 67 percent (KSL News) One of the contributing factors to the growing divorce epidemic is the separation of different family members or the breakdown of the family unit, and the effects. that this can have on the children or the other spouse lead to divorce and ultimately many negative implications It can have an effect on mental stability and create even more conflict and tension between others. showed that marital distress and conflict within a marriage lead to a wide range of negative effects on the children of conflicting spouses. Many effects on children include depression, isolation, social inadequacy, mental health problems, and reduced educational status. A study conducted in 1991 suggested that out of 13,000 people, children from divorced families tended to perform poorly in school and had more behavioral problems. Some American couples suggest that divorce may be a way to resolve their problems quickly and perhaps more easily, rather than taking the time to work things out through counseling and other alternatives. When divorce occurs, it doesn't just happen between those who are married, everyone in relation to the divorced person is affected. This suggests “community divorce” and presents many other dilemmas. Community divorces contribute to conflicts between mutual friends and create tension between certain family members. More often than not, children are in the middle of a divorce and feel that it may be their fault. Very often, the well-being of children is not properly taken into account. Although some situations allow for some flexibility, for example: growing up in an abusive home versus the separation of two parents. However,...... middle of paper...... just the separation of feelings of love between people - it is the separation of a way of life and stability for the children involved . Works cited: Amato, PR (1993). Children's adjustment to divorce: Theories, hypotheses, and empirical support. JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, 55, 23-38.Amato, PR (1994). Adaptation of the lifespan of children to the divorce of their parents. THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN, 4, 143-164. Amato, PR and Keith, B. (1991). Parental divorce and children's well-being: A meta-analysis. PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN, 110, 26-46. Hetherington, EM (1993). An overview of the Virginia Longitudinal Study of Divorce and Remarriage, with emphasis on early adolescence. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY, 7, 39-56.Hughes, R., Jr. (1996) INTERNET IN USE ON CHILDREN AND DIVORCEhttp://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/famlife/divorce/index.htm , (January 8, 2004) Landers, Ann ? (accessed January 8, 2004) THE EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON PARENTING CHILDREN DURING AND AFTER DIVORCE, © American Responsible Divorce NetworkUnknown (accessed January 8, 2004) STEPS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN, http:// www.mariage-relations.com