Divorce and the Decline of Morality Essay -- Giving up on Marriage

As America's divorce rate continues to skyrocket, it seems that morality continues to plummet. Approximately sixty-five percent of all marriages in America end in divorce, and this number does not seem to be declining any time soon. Are we creating a new generation "Y" of single parents? Is a broken home the wave of the future? If Americans don't get a grip on morality, this will surely be the case. It is not possible to pinpoint exactly why America's divorce rate is so high, much higher than that of previous decades. There are so many issues today that contribute to divorce than had existed in the past. Take teen pregnancy, for instance. It is alarming that so many of our children are having children themselves. They feel they must get married at fifteen and sixteen because it is what's right for the baby. Needless to say, most teen marriages under these circumstances usually end in divorce. What kind of life is this for a child? What kind of values will they learn from their parents example? According to Stuart Shepard, staff writer for Focus on the Family, "divorce tears down our moral and social responsibility to our children. They see marriages as if things don't work out, you can just leave and not work it out" (Shepard np). Adult children of divorced families are three times more likely to get divorced than adult children raised with both parents in the home (Markman 128). This negative pattern of divorce is one that could go on for generations if Americans are not willing to slow down their rate of divorce. Another contributing factor is the fact that divorce is much more accepted by society as a whole. Even though a lot of American... ...hildren." 1997, November 20. 2000, June 25. Markman, H.J. and S. Stanley. Fighting for Your Marriage: Positive Steps For A Loving and Lasting Relationship. San Francisco: Josey Bass, Inc, 1994. Shepard, S. "Study Examined Effects of Divorce". Focus on Family 2000, June 5: np. Stanley, S. Marriage in the 90's: A Nationwide Random Phone Survey. Denver, Colorado: PREP, Inc. 1997. Treas, J. and D. Giesen "Sexual Infidelity Among Married and Cohabiting Americans". Journal of Marriage and the Family Vol 62 (2000) : 48-60. U.S. Bureau of the Census. "Marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the 1990's." Washington, D.C.: Us. Government Printing Office, 1998. Zachary, G.P. "America: Straight-Laced Public Yawns at Scandal". The Wall Street Journal 1998, Feb 9: section B, p.1