Divorces getting grayer

On Behalf of | Sep 20, 2022 | Divorce

Parents who decide to divorce must have a difficult conversation with their children. Ending a marriage is a traumatic event for all. Yet, the life-changing moment can be traumatic for sons and daughters of divorce.

That sense of uncertainty is not reserved for small children. Offspring well into their adult years can also feel the sting when their older parents decide to go their separate ways.

A prominent demographic

“Gray divorce” was historically a rare concept, if not an anomaly. Yet, with people living lives, many into their 100s, couples who are fifty years and older and highly dissatisfied with their wedded union are pursuing that option in droves. The fastest-growing demographic of divorced couples are 50 to 70 years old, growing by 200 percent since 1990.

Yet during that same time period, divorces have declined to approximately 630,00 in 2020, with millennials having the fewest marital dissolutions.

Regardless of the age of parents who are ending their marriages, the impact on children – including adults – can be equally devastating. The transition can become particularly emotionally charged when one or both parents decide to remarry.

Whether they remarry or pursue domestic partnerships, statistics reveal that 22 percent of women and 37 percent of men entered new relationships post-divorce. The transition that leads to blended families can only add to the challenges of starting a new chapter in life. Not all loved ones may be on board, with many feeling a sense of abandonment, yet they must accept it for the sake of familial harmony.

Emotional challenges and complex legal matters intersect when it comes to ending a marriage. The help of an attorney can help ease the traumatic transition, allowing ex-couples and all loved ones to move on with their lives.