The Divorce Generation

If you’ve ever watched an old film, heard the words “I won’t give you a divorce!” and wondered why they didn’t just file and get it over with, welcome to the club. Children of the 1970s and 1980s are the Divorce Generation, coming of age under less stringent divorce laws that mean one partner can simply end things, whether the other likes it or not.

A writer at Newsweek caught up with his friends from the class of 1982, most of whom grew up in the shadow of divorce. Unsurprisingly, some of them have been divorced as well (there is anecdotal evidence to support the theory that children of divorced parents are more likely to split.) All agree that divorce shaped their lives in some way, whether they split themselves, delayed marriage, or never married at all.

Still, the Divorce Generation seems hopeful about marriage, and many of those interviewed did end up in solid marriages. Maybe they hope to do better than their own parents did. It is clear that even if their own marriages have succeeded, they’ve still dealt with some heavy emotional challenges as a result of their experiences as children.

With half of all marriages ending in divorce, perhaps we’ve made it too easy to end a marriage. Still, it’s good to know that people can and do heal and move on. Getting divorced is not an easy decision. How are you and your family coping? [Newsweek]