Check out my new post on Newsvine about Divorce:

http://drmilburn.newsvine.com/_news/2010/11/19/5496585-divorce

Divorce is a difficult decision for an individual and has a lasting impact on the Children.  Sometimes people have no other option than to leave a marriage and move on in life.  Most religions discourage the decision to divorce and require certain problems to be present before the divorce is sanctioned by the church.  The Catholic Church has a list of requirements and an evaluation to be performed before they will approve a divorce or grant an annulment of a marriage, thus allowing the individual to later be remarried in the church.  Steps can be taken to minimize the negative impact on children if a divorce becomes impossible to avoid.  Making the divorce as conflict-free as possible is important.  Engaging in co-parenting classes and learning how to communicate about the child or children is a must.   Research shows that people who are married live longer, healthier lives.  Children whose parents remain in their relationships with each other and with extended family members tend to remain in school longer and achieve higher levels of education, tend to marry others more successfully and have lower rates of divorce, and tend to have less utilization of psychological or psychiatric services.  Children whose parents get divorced tend to have lower levels of education, higher utilization of psychological or psychiatric services, and tend to have higher rates of divorce in their own marriages.  Before filing for divorce, an individual should consider going to a psychologist or licensed counselor who has experience working with divorced families and following their guidance in how to make the process the least disruptive and harmful to the children.