Marriage: Better the Second Time Around?

Marriage: Better the Second Time Around?

Is Marriage Better the Second Time Around? Or, Are Second Marriages More Successful than First Marriages?

Many years ago, a singing icon and legend, Frank Sinatra, released a song entitled “The Second Time Around”…..its words begin as follows—“Love is lovelier the second time around; Just as wonderful with both feet on the ground; It’s that second time you hear your love song sung……..Makes you think perhaps that love, like you, is wasted on the young”…he goes on to praise the greatness of second-time relationships. But, what are the facts about second marriages?  Do they fare well or do they fare poorly?

On September 15, 2011, Lisa Helfend Meyer posted an article entitled, “Second Marriage for Better or Worse”. The author and family law attorney stated that while 41 percent of first marriages end in divorce, the failure rate is even higher for second marriages with 60 percent ending in divorce.… View Full Article → “Marriage: Better the Second Time Around?”

What and How to Tell Your Children About Your Divorce

One of the most difficult things you will ever have to do as a parent is tell your children that their parents are breaking up. It is important that you shift your focus from your loss to your children’s loss. Divorce is about the dissolution of a husband-wife relationship. It marks a change in the parent-child relationship. Staying aware of this difference will help you effectively support your children. In talking with your children, stay focused on their feelings about this experience. If you focus on the spousal relationship, your own feelings may get in the way of good parenting.

Here are some tips for explaining the divorce to your children:

  • If possible, both parents should be present. This illustrates to the children that you will still be able to co-parent.
  • Tell them close to the time that one of the parents is planning to move out. Telling them months in advance doesn’t “prepare them.”
… View Full Article → “What and How to Tell Your Children About Your Divorce”

Looking to Build a Stronger Relationship?

Unlike many family law blogs which just share divorce information, we take a much broader view of “family law” and try to provide positive helpful information to readers about ways to help keep marriages together.  Clearly, marriage is an important public and social good, associated with a broad array of positive outcomes for adults, children, and the community as a whole. Divorce proceedings should never be initiated lightly! All relationships have “ups and downs” that can sometimes be very difficult to navigate.

Marriage Works! Ohio offers an extensive range of programs and services throughout Shelby, Miami, Montgomery, Greene, Butler and Warren counties. This collaborative effort of faith-based and community organizations, including Elizabeth’s New Life Center, has been operating for 3 years.  Recently, it was recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services as one of the 8 most promising programs for marriage education in the country! Their mission is to demonstrate ways to increase knowledge of basic relationship skills, communication skills, commitment to the relationship, and positive conflict resolution among adults and teenagers.  … View Full Article → “Looking to Build a Stronger Relationship?”

Online Assessment Tools – Do You Think You Might Have a Problem?

Here is a list of links to various online assessment tools that might be valuable for those interested in learning where they might score in areas that can frequently impact a marriage. Originally, I just intended to post an online depression assessment tool since many people going through a divorce suffer from some degree of depression. But once I started on the project, as you can see, the list kept growing. Here they all are:

  • Depression Screening Test
  • Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology
  • Anger Management Test
  • Arguing Style Test
  • Domestic Violence Screening Test
  • Woman Abuse Screening Test (WAST)
  • Battered Woman Test
  • Alcoholism Test
  • Drug Abuse Screening Test
  • Cocaine Addiction Test
  • Marijuana Addiction Test<
  • Internet Addiction Test
  • Cybersex Addiction Test
  • Sexual Addiction Test (SAST)
  • Pornography Compulsion Test
  • Gambling Addiction Test
  • Food Addiction Test
  • Compulsive Shopper Test
  • Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder Test
  • Mood Disorder Test
  • Social Anxiety/Phobia Test
  • Stress Test
  • Workaholic Test

Additionally, if these assessment tools are not what you are looking for, consider checking out my previous post, “Divorce Calculator – We have an App for That.”… View Full Article → “Online Assessment Tools – Do You Think You Might Have a Problem?”

An Experienced Family Law Attorney – PRICELESS!

Gordon Gibb recently wrote an excellent article for lawyersandsettlements.com about the importance of hiring an experienced divorce lawyer. He lasers in on the topic with his opening sentences. “If there ever was a more important role for lawyers and litigation professionals, it is in family law. Corporate law, environmental law, even real estate law has nuthin’ on the complexities and the drama that explodes from divorce petitions, custody battles-even who gets to keep the family dog”. He concludes with “Experts suggest that if your relationship looks as though it is coming apart and you’re considering divorce, the best couple of hundred bucks you’ll ever spend is by sitting down with a reputable family law firm for a consultation. In an hour, the family attorneys can give you a pretty good idea of what you might be in for, what the dynamic, the payout and the cost, the likely custody arrangement, and in a nutshell what kind of life you’re going to have at the end of it all.… View Full Article → “An Experienced Family Law Attorney – PRICELESS!”