In order to maintain a healthy and happy marriage, spouses must be able to effectively communicate. This becomes especially important when a couple welcomes a child into their family and matters related to childrearing, discipline, finances and education must be considered and addressed.
In a recent UK survey of 2,000 married parents, 25 percent of survey respondents admitted to only staying in a marriage for the sake of a shared child. What’s more, one in 20 of those parents surveyed planned to stay unhappily wed for at least 10 more years.
Parents who are not happy in a marriage cited many reasons for remaining married. A belief that “I have too much to lose” topped the list of reasons followed by concerns over a child’s wellbeing and financial restrictions. Additionally, survey respondents also revealed concerns about losing out on a spouse’s income as well as a belief that they “won’t meet anyone else.”
For any parent, matters related to child custody and finances are genuine concerns. However, concerns over these issues should not result in an individual staying in a marriage in which they no longer feel happy or fulfilled. Going through the motions and pretending to be happy in a marriage solely for a child’s sake is unfair for all involved parties.
Every individual deserves to be happy and to love and be loved. Additionally, every child deserves to grow up on a home that is free of tension and conflict. Yes, going through a divorce can be difficult, but parents who do so are often happier, stronger and overall better off.
Source: Huffington Post, “The Top 10 Reasons People Stay In Unhappy Marriages,” Brittany Wong, Dec. 16, 2014
