Journal 16

This journal primarily defines what divorces, outlines the divorce process, its impact on those it affects, how each one of them deals with divorce and determines the best way to cope with it. The chapter says that divorce is the termination of marriage. It is a series of developmental transitions, with the potential to alter the family structure and patterns of interaction. It involves court sessions, emotional strain of family members, socioeconomic restructuring and consequent remarriages. Children can move from one family to the other as parents try to share or balance responsibilities.

Some of the lessons in this chapter describe that the experience of divorce often initiates a series of subsequent family developmental transitions. Many changes take place, for instance, when one of the parents leave their home or children who have to live with one parent. It also says that the ability of the family to reorganize itself depends on how it dealt with the pre-divorce situation. It can successfully cope with it if it was able to deal with the fact that divorce was inevitable. Stress is also a prime determining factor in the divorcing party’s capacity to cope with divorce. Those who can handle the resultant stress have a higher chance of settlement again. Those who failed go through depression and emotional struggles such as hatred. All this is true as it is what happens in most divorcing families.

Divorce alters relationship especially due to the many transitions that are taking place. Examples are incorporation of children into single-parent structures, changing schools or neighborhoods, and remarriages. This has a profound effect on the children who blame themselves for their parents’ divorce. This is true because most children in divorced families have an unhealthy upbringing in result there are a large number of rebellious children.