No one can predict whether your marriage will last a lifetime. When you stood in a Kentucky courtroom, church or other venue and tied the knot, you likely assumed you were taking the first steps of a journey that would remain intact for the rest of your life. However, there is no guarantee that, at some point, your relationship will not hit a roadblock from which you determine it cannot rebound.
Divorce happens all the time although not as much as people might think. In fact, there are numerous myths about untying the knot you’ll want to debunk before you determine a best course of action in your own life. Whether you are able to start afresh by attending marriage counseling or you decide that it’s better to part ways than stay in an unhappy marriage, either situation will be less stressful to navigate if you build a strong support network from the start.
What age has to do with divorce
The fact is that the overall divorce rate in the nation has been on a steady decline in recent years; that is, unless you are age 50 or older. Then you’re part of a group whose divorce rate has more than doubled in the past 20 years. When all is said and done, age technically does not determine who will get divorced and who will work out their problems and stay married.
Your relationship is unique, and only you know whether you think it is worth trying to save. The older you are, the more challenging many marital issues might be, which might explain why the over-50 age group in particular seems to be filing for divorce more often than their younger counterparts.
Children’s lives are not necessarily ruined by divorce
While the Kentucky court and most others believe children fare best in life when they maintain active, healthy relationships with both parents, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will ruin your children’s lives if you divorce. That’s a myth.
In reality, if you have a support system in place and let your kids know that you and your co-parent are going to do everything possible to work together peacefully for their sake, your kids will likely be able to cope and move on in life without serious, negative repercussions.
Divorce doesn’t mean you failed
If you think you can find a way to foolproof your marriage against divorce or infidelity 100%, chances are you are mistaken. The reason is that you can only control your own behavior, not your spouse’s. Many Kentucky couples do not see divorce as a failure but as a proactive decision to leave the past behind and move on to a lifestyle that is less stressful and more conducive toward personal happiness.
Tapping into support resources
If your marriage is in trouble, you have some decisions to make. Your community may have support groups that provide an opportunity to speak to counselors or other couples who can relate to your circumstances. You and your children may find encouragement, inspiration and support in such groups.
Legal problems can be a bit more challenging to resolve, which is why it’s also a good idea to connect with someone who is well-versed in family law matters so that you can protect your parental rights and financial interests if you do decide to divorce.