CHAPTER 17 DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE. DIVORCE TRENDS 17:1

C H A P T E R 1 7

DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE

DIVORCE TRENDS17:1

• Statistics clearly show that divorce is common. Young people, at some point in their life, have a 50% chance of living in a family that has experienced divorce

THE EFFECT OF DIVORCE

• Making any type if adjustment is easier when family member understand that changes taking place. Good communication skills can help family members work out all the details. However, in the case of separation and divorce, understanding and good communication are often missing

BARRIERS TO DIVORCE

• Barrier to Divorce – fears or pressures that keep a couple from moving ahead with a divorce • Feel they cannot break the commitment to stay together• Fear the loneliness of being single• Hope the happiness of the past will return

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DIVORCE

• Differences in Backgrounds• Major differences in background can result in differing

view and expectations for marriage

• Immaturity• Immaturity can also lead to a marital breakdown. • If this growth place after marriage, a couple may find

they do not have as much in common

• Poor Relationship Skills

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DIVORCE

• Problem Situations

• Financial Conflicts• Finances tend to be the major source of conflict in a

marriage

• Teen Marriage

A BREAKDOWN IN THE RELATIONSHIP

17:2

FAILURE TO NURTURE A RELATIONSHIP

• Needs regular loving care• Commitment from both partners • Spend time together

EMOTIONAL DIVORCE

• Spouses who cover up their hurts and do not share their inner feelings build walls between them

• The first stage in the breakdown of the marriage relationship is called emotional divorce

SEPARATION

• Separation is the second stage of the breakdown in marriage

THE EFFECTS OF SEPARATION

• Divided family structure

• Legal separation is a legal agreement for the couple to live apart, divide their property, and provide for their children

• In many cases legal separation ends in divorce

DIVORCE COUNSELING

• Goal is to save the marriage

• May help the person understand the legal procedures and alternative they may have

• Helps cope with the feelings that tend to surface in a divorce

• Help adjust to the changes created by the divorce

THE LEGAL DIVORCE

• The final stage of a divorce can be very lengthy legal process.

• Each stated has their own divorce laws

• A legal divorce ends a marriage through the legal process

LEGAL PROCEDURES

• All laws differ from state to state

• Must meet the residency requirements

• Divorce Proceedings• The person who files for a divorce becomes the petitioner• The other spouse is the respondent

GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE

• The grounds for divorce is the valid reasons for seek the divorce, the law will vary from state to state• Adultery is considered evidence of a broken marriage in

all states

• If one spouse does not want the divorce, he or she contest it.

• No-Fault Divorce is a legal term used to identify a divorce in which neither spouse is being blamed for the divorce

CUSTODY SETTLEMENT

• The court is responsible for awarding legal custody of children in a divorce settlement. The person given custody has the rights and responsibilities of providing for the children’s care until the child reach age 18

ONE-PARENT CUSTODY

• The person who provided the major share of child care will continue to do so• The parent without custody may be required to

pay for their support• The court also establishes visitation rights. These

arrangements for the noncustodial parent to visit the child

JOINT CUSTODY

• Joint custody may be granted when both parents want to be involved in the children’s lives

• They are required to consult with each other in major areas, such as religious upbringing, education, and health care

• From couples who have had problems relating in the past, this arrangement may not work very well. They may continue to argue and fight, but through the children.

SPLIT CUSTODY

• An arrangement in which the children are decided between the parents

ALIMONY

• Alimony is financial settlement paid to a spouse

• Some settlements are lump sum judgments. Some are monthly payments given for a period of time or for specific purpose such as going to college.

CHILD SUPPORT

• The court also sets child support payments

• The are payments that the noncustodial parent is legally required to pay toward the expense of raising children under 18.

STRENGTHENING THE FAMILY AFTER THE DIVORCE

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ADJUSTING TO DIVORCE

• Emotional adjustments

• The Divorced Adult

• Children of Divorced Parents• May feel hurt, rejected, blame the parent or themselves

for divorce and have feelings of insecurity

• New Living Arrangements

• New Parenting Arrangements

SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES

• Most single-parent families struggle with financial and parenting responsibilities as well as loneliness

• A characteristic of single-parenting is role overload. This means the single parent has too many roles and responsibilities to carry them out well

REMARRIAGE AND THE STEPFAMILY

• When either spouse has children from a previous marriage, they form a stepfamily

• A stepparent can help a child identify feelings

NEEDS OF THE STEPFAMILY

• Allow time family unity to grow

• Provide personal space form each family member

• Make workable visitation arrangements for the absent parent and other people important to the children

• Accept all family members in the stepfamily structure