Does America’s greatness lie in our economic wealth or in our values? How can we help reduce teen pregnancy and help teens succeed in current or future relationships? Should states enact waiting periods before couples can file for divorce? How does divorce impact women financially?

Please read the following posts to get the answers to these telling questions.

The Coalition for Divorce Reform needs you to spread the word about the devastating impact divorce has on children as well as their parents.

You can help by posting one or more of these blogs on your Facebook site, forwarding this newsletter to your friends, and going to the www.divorcereform.info site to register.

Thanks very much for your help.

Chris Gersten, Chair

Beverly Willett, Vice Chair
Coalition for Divorce Reform

Beginning at Home

America’s greatness does not lie in its economic prosperity; it goes deeper than that. America’s value is in its values—specifically, its family values. And when marriage becomes passé due to a no-fault divorce culture that passes the legacy of disposable relationships to its children, no amount of money can repair the damage. 

Divorce indeed leaves a destructive legacy. Parental divorce leads to an increased risk of suicide and higher rates of psychological distress and mental illness; in fact, parental divorce has been shown to be more devastating to a child than parental death. And when divorce goes viral……. in a phenomenon called the “Divorce Cycle,” children of divorce are far more likely to have a marriage end in divorce.

Statistically, parental divorce increases a child's risk of school failure while decreasing the likelihood of college graduation and achievement of a high-status job. The end result is that children of divorce, even into adulthood, are at the highest risk of being impoverished. MORE at www.divorcereform.info

Help Teens Learn To Build Relationships

Although teen birth rates have fallen by a third over a decade, one in three U.S. teenage girls still get pregnant.  And teenagers account for half of all first out-of-wedlock births. Few of those girls will ever marry, and only 30 percent of those who do are in their first marriage by age 40. Their children are the least likely to fare well in school or relationships. Even worse, teens are apt to have a second unwed birth soon after the first.

In fact, 60 percent of girls aged 15 -17 approve of unwed childbearing, and three-quarters of those who are 18 or 19!

For decades the debate on teen sexuality has been between contraception vs. abstinence. "But neither approach devotes sufficient attention to instructing teens in how to achieve success in their current or future relationships or to exploring how postponing sex might contribute to healthy relationships down the road.” MORE at www.divorcereform.info

The Beauty of the Pause

I was surprised when I first learned that nearly 75% of states have no waiting period whatsoever before parties can file for divorce in spite of evidence suggesting that short or non-existent waiting periods may correspond to higher divorce rates. Marry one day, divorce the next. For the minority of states that have waiting periods, these interludes are intended to give couples time to make sure they've carefully considered the decision to end their marriage before starting litigation. Makes sense to me. MORE at www.divorcereform.info

Divorce Amidst Recession Impacts Women Especially Hard

Years ago, a divorcing friend told me she believed her financial situation would improve after her divorce due to the amount of child support and alimony she expected. Unsurprisingly, her financial situation greatly worsened after she filed for divorce. Within the year, she was filing for bankruptcy while caring for two children, and arguing with her ex about everything from the cost of school clothes to dental bills. MORE at www.divorcereform.info

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