Social Problem Of List Given: Divorce Writing Assignment (Essay Sample)

Divorce
Student Name
Institutional affiliation
Divorce
Divorce is a social problem that has been, is and will be with us for a long time to come. Divorce entails the legal separation of a legally married couple or termination of marriage by a competent body such as a court of law. This social problem has a significant impact on the family set up; father, mother, and children (if there exist some). A good number of marriages these days end up in divorce, and shockingly in their initial stages. On the off chance that divorce rates go up, the levels of hesitation and tension of people about marriage are likewise on the rise. Apparently, the society acknowledges this social problem with ease and even proposes it as an answer for the slight problems that husbands and wives encounter in their marriage. This easy acceptance of the social problem has put many marriages at risk as its consequences have not been given the attention they require. Additionally, the effects of divorce, specifically on children, have been underestimated. In this paper, I will look into the consequences of divorce from a number of perspectives on those that are either actively or passively involved.
There are many points of view of this social issue from the affected individuals, that is, children of varying ages and parents. Divorce is typically an agonizing experience for all that are concerned. The parents involved usually take a lot of time to regain their initial psychological equilibrium. However, in children, it is still open to debate whether they recover a stable point of view. The hostility that follows the divorce, although it harms children, is an absolute pointer that the emotional split is finally over. Most parents see divorce as a chance to get someone new who will probably meet their needs. According to Oberlin (2005), children typically have a belief that their parents can solve and work through any problem that comes their way. Most children perceive divorce as a bad experience to go through. They view their parents as having supernatural abilities to solve any issues that pop up. In this case, divorce comes as a surprise to them. This lot of children is the one that experiences difficult times in adapting to conditions in new schools, environments, and families. In some cases, some children, especially adolescents, divorce comes on board as something they had always expected to happen. They find them as opportunities to explore their lives better (Clarke-Stewart & Brentano, 2006).
After the divorce, women encounter less stress and a better adjustment as opposed to men in the same situation. Jasper (2008) argues that this difference could be due to such reasons as women being likely to notice marital issues well in advance. As such, they feel relieved in the end after divorce. Besides, women will probably experience an increased self-esteem after divorce and practice new roles in their lives. They feel that the responsibility of being under someone in the name of a husband has been withdrawn and that they are then free. It is a misinformed decision though because they lose that sense of belonging and security at the same time (Jasper, 2008).
Men slightly perceive this social problem from a similar but slightly different point of view. After a divorce, they remarry more quickly than do women. In his research, Metz (2010) observes that men do not regard divorce positively since they experience greater problems when it comes to emotional adjustment. Besides, after divorce, men lose not only intimacy but also social connection. They attempt as much as they can to salvage their marriages because they are more negative about divorce than women. Apparently, they devote more energy in avoiding divorce mainly due to the foreseen interruption in parental roles and the fear of reduced finances. In fact, divorce is not only expensive, but it is also a tedious experience to most men (Healey, 2003).
For children in their adolescence, there is mixed perception pertaining divorce. They face the common perception towards divorce due to the fear of peer ridicule. Also, they fear to be part of the blame for the divorce, and as such, they do not perceive divorce as a positive aspect in their families. On the contrary, Cath & Shopper (2001) argue that some adolescents still view divorce from the other side of the coin. For schooling teenagers of ages 12 to 17, losing a parent through the divorce can be clean through pass for a better life. In others, it may be a devastating experience, and as such, it rather is avoided. Thus, they can achieve a realistic understanding of the divorce aspect. When this is said and done, they can better understand the problems troubling their parents. These internal conflicts emanating from divorce may affect the moral development of the adolescents. Teenagers mainly acquire a wrong impression of bad people due to divorce (Cath & Shopper, 2001).
The society views divorce as a way of marching towards independence and moving out of the marital confinement. In some cases, some law firms go as far as advertising the “perceived satisfaction” after divorce so that they are involved in the process and earn a coin for ...