What do you think should be done (if anything) to deal with the high divorce rates in the USA?

Question

Explain what should be done and why it will help....or just simply say why you do not think anything should be done about it...

Answer 1

Intelligence involves learning from your own mistakes. Wisdom includes learning form the mistakes of others.

Look at the people suggesting legislation as a means to change divorce rates (shaking my head in pitty). Not that there isn't room for improvement in dovorce law (equality should include responsibility--they go together... except under the law). But that's not going to improve divorce rates so much as it would be to move closer to the ideal of equality under the law.

The ideal most of us in North America want in a marriage is a happy, healthy marriage/partnership where the partners are mutually supportive - a good partnership. The goal is not to stay in a dysfunctional marriage that is harmful to the mental, spiritual, and physical health of both partners;if that were the goal, then we could pass laws that make that possible easy enough.

Answer 2

Nothing should be done about it. People are going to have to work it out for themselves. Taking away no fault divorce will not keep the divorce rates down. It will just make divorce uglier. Everything goes in cycles. People are now seeing the longterm results of divorce. People mistakenly think that the divorce rate is the highest it's ever been but the fact is, it peaked in the seventies and fell during the 80's & 90's and has remained steady in this century. The best way to combat divorce is by doing the following:

1) get an education. Studies are revealing that men & women who are college educated have a much better chance at staying married.
2) do not marry before the age of 27. The younger you marry, the larger the chance is that you will divorce.
3)talk about what your expectations are of marriage/responsibilities with your potential spouse BEFORE you walk down the aisle.
4)Marry someone that you are compatible with across the board - not just because they are good in the sack. Passion will always die down and you don't want that to be the only thing you had in common with your spouse.
5) Communication. Talk through everything before it becomes an issue. Never let a problem "stew".

Doing all those things should help keep a marriage together but is no guarantee.

Answer 3

Something should be done about it. What to do, who really knows. I decided I might not be able to change the world, but if I can help some way in even one marriage not falling apart (and I actually have), then that was what I would do. If people were supportive of other people's marriages, I think it would make a difference. My first marriage ended in divorce, and the people who surrounded me were supportive of the divorce, not fixing the marriage and making it work. I'm happy they weren't, because I'd have hated to miss out on the guy I'm marrying in 2 weeks. I don't think a marriage can work if family, friends and co-workers don't play a supportive role in getting through all the hard stuff that a marriage has to go through. And alot of times, if your an outside observer to the relationship, its easier for you to see where they could compromise, where the couple themselves can't because they are to close to the situation.

My sister and brother and law were intent on a divorce and ironing out the details. They haven't even talked about that possibility in over two years, but it took alot of talking and his family and our family being there to help them talk (sometimes yell and cry) it out. And its not a bad marriage. It was rough then, it isn't now!

Answer 4

Protecting the lives and property of citizens is the most important task of government. Yet governments often fail to do so in dramatic ways despite the enormous sums of money they spend. The tragic death toll from the South Asia earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean provides another example. The U.S. and other countries operate a tsunami warning program for the Pacific Ocean, but no similar program was in place for the Indian Ocean when this week’s earthquake struck. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, “The need for a tsunami warning program outside the Pacific region has been raised since 1985 with little result” (click on the link below). The Asian nations affected by the tsunami are not as wealthy as the United States but are not exactly penniless. Indeed, four of the nations struck hardest by the tsunami -- India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand -- received more than $18.6 billion in foreign aid from the U.S. between 1962 and 2002 (as reported by the U.S. Agency for International Development). These governments obviously had different spending priorities than investing in a warning system that could have saved thousands of their citizens’ lives. Whether in Oklahoma, Washington, D.C., or around the world, governments spend our money to benefit politically influential groups -- often leaving essential tasks unfinished.

Answer 5

I think it should be made harder to get a divorce. This business of people waking up one morning and deciding I am not as happy as I thought I would be, I think I'll get a divorce is for the birds. In order to obtain a divorce there should be some kind of grounds or a reason and then based upon the reason a waiting period would be given. The flimsier the reason, the longer the waiting period.

Answer 6

I don’t think making divorce more difficult to obtain is the way to go. I personally don’t want to revert back to the time when people were trapped in horrible marriages because they had no way out.

I think divorce is more the ‘effect’ than a ‘problem’. The problem is not necessarily that the divorce rate is too high. The problem is, in part, that people rush into marriage before they’re mature enough to handle it (and some people aren’t mature enough to handle it at 30). Just my personal opinion, of course.

Answer 7

I think there would be less divorce if people were to go participate in at least 6 weeks of pre-marital counseling. This should be REQUIRED of any couple getting married in a church. It is the only way to take an objective look (via the counselor) at what it means to make a marital committment, to ascertain each individual's opinion of what a marriage involves, to discuss / compare their goals in life, and to take a look at "what if" regarding staying together through "worse". If a couple tries to do that on their own, they are NOT going to be able to be objective or even honest about their answers, because they're going to be "in love" and too worried about hurting each other's feelings. But a trained counselor / pastor will be able to help them understand what is truly involved in a marital committment. Also, divorces shouldn't be so easy to get unless there is life-threatening abuse involved. Otherwise, counseling should also be a requirement for divorce. People are too "all about ME" these days...a successful marriage involves sacrifice & compromise.

Answer 8

I don't think much can be done to fix it. Today's society pushes the idea of marriage like a car salesman. When people rush into it, they don't take the time to be REALLY sure about it, and they make mistakes. Divorce is relatively easy and doesn't have the stigma it used to.

I think it will get worse before it gets better, and then it will likely only improve because marriage will lose popularity. When only the people who see it as a really important and special thing are doing, it, there's a better chance they'll be doing it right.

Answer 9

Well, I don't know exactly what you think needs to be "done."

Like with most problems, education is usually the answer. How would you propose we "educate" people about marriage? Perhaps have a high school course about it? Good grief, this country can't even be responsible enough to allow teens access to contraception; they're going to be responsible about teaching the critical elements of marriage?

I've been happily married for over 36 years, and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt what's critical for a stable relationship:

- compromise
- communication
-sympathy and forgiveness
- common interests
- love
- committment

Answer 10

Nothing can be done, because people will be people and you can't make someone have morals and respect for each other. If there's anything to be done, it will take away from the law enforcing other laws, they can make a law that the couple requesting to be married, take a couples class before entering the marriage.