Divorce as a social problem has affected families in both developed and undeveloped countries of the world. Communities are fully in support of marriage and most people are expected to marry once they reach a certain age. But many of today's marriages unfortunately and in divorce, which is a trait to family institution these days.
People of all social class worldwide have experienced this social problem of divorce even after they have undertaken traditional, church and court marriages.
Divorce has taken a new dimension in recent times and series of divorce cases are not only rampant today, but it is also threatening the very foundation marriage institution. Generally family units were held with respect and secrecy among the ancestors of our communities. People in our communities believed that married coupled were bound to be faithfully and loyal to their spouses. Since marriage was regarded as a life time commitment. Most people embrace it and supported it stability most children in modern days experience some sort of family description due to the divorce of their parents sometimes the affected children have move into more crowded and dilapidated housing, where there is more noise and overcrowding. They may be less healthy as a result many suffer from severe strain and neglect.
Causes and Effect of Divorce
Besides poverty for a proportion of women, there is often a loss of social support, mainly from ex-in-shared. Elder women and those with little employment experience have a more difficult time. The spouse, who is left generally, suffers more, at least in the first three years. The rates of alcohol abuse go up among divorced women as will as a general feeling of being less healthy. However let's keep in mind that remaining in a bad marriage will also produce the same noxious effects.
The Effects of Divorce on Children
Children being the cardinal front once of the family have been given the public and sociologists a great concern. Over the years it is believed that the trauma experienced by children at the time of parental divorce is widespread. Any moment the trauma of divorce is experienced in a family, the first thing that comes to mind is whether the quality of ones marriage of affects ones children? Observed in his 20 years research on marriage couples in two to ten years found out that babies of unhappy parent have higher heart rates during playful interactions and aren't as able to soothe themselves. He noted also that poverty, or even a significant reduction in financial resources so often follows divorce and is a root cause of children's problems. The negative outcomes of children of divorce much resemble those of children in poverty Amberl, 1998; Bouchard et al, 1991:6; Ross, Scolt and Kelly, 1995 :67).
In the case of divorce, when children are poor, they experience many problems in their likes. This is because divorce is not a single event but a series of transitions. To begin with at least b3% of women and their children move after separation ( Dandurany, 1994:30). They often have to move into more crowded and dilapidated housing where there id more noise and pollution they may be less healthy as a result of much stress. They neighborhood may be less safe, have more children who are equally poor and do less well in school and engage more in delinquent activities.
The custodial parents of a divorced marriage usually have difficulty in making ends meet and may work long hours. When they return home the may be too tired and usually have less time to devote to the children. As a result, children of divorced parent who are poor may receive less attention, guidance, supervision, encouragement and affection than other children. Moreover, their education is affected. The single parent may not be able sponsor and monitor their children school progress, for a variety of reasons, such as when the children are out of school they may be at home alone of they may be with press or on the streets unsupervised. Certainly unsupervised children are far more likely than others to engage in delinquent outs such as sexual activities, violence, any abuse, stealing, riot, and the list continues.
One outstanding problem of divorce on children is that of disposition a child who is brought up in a single or one-parent family is likely to suffer from lack of parental love, guidance and protection. There is the possibility that child may not be nutritiously led and be regular in school attendance. They tend to be pulled apart by both parents with regard to custody and their welfare despite court ruling on such matter.
The problem created by divorce on children places them at a disadvantaged position with regards to their normal development. Such children are likely to derailed form parental norms and expectations. Moral values have been deteriorated and become as infections as woo pen cough, which coincides with constantly lacking in parental care and protection, (booth 2001:63).
