Sometimes, people will ask me why I fight so hard to keep marriages together, even when the marriage is in obvious trouble. This quote is from the book, The Unexpecteded Legacy of Divorce, and it articulates well one of the many reasons I engage in this fight. It explains why I am so passionate about what I do.
Children in post-divorce families do not, on the whole, look happier, healthier, or more well adjusted even if one or both parents are happier. National studies1 show that children from divorced and remarried families are more aggressive toward their parents and teachers. They experience more depression, have more learning difficulties, and suffer from more problems with peers than children from intact families. Children from divorced and remarried families are two to three times more likely to be referred for psychological help at school than their peers from intact families. More of them end up in mental health clinics and hospital settings. There is earlier sexual activity, more children born out of wedlock, less marriage, and more divorce. Numerous studies2 show that adult children of divorce have more psychological problems than those raised in intact marriages.
Wallerstein, Judith S. (2001-10-01). The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce (Kindle Locations 340-347). Hyperion. Kindle Edition.
Incidentally, an associate at our office has written an excellent piece about saying the divorce was for the kids. You can find Wayne's piece here.