From the fictional homes of Hollywood to the homes of Illinois residents, the end of a marriage no longer holds the stigma that it once did. Divorce used to be a dirty word in society, but now, it is a part of life that many people go through. Because of this, many more people are coming to terms with the fact that their marriages just are not working out as they had hoped.
Many Illinois couples may still attempt to repair their marriages, but when they feel they have exhausted all avenues, they come to the realization that they would be better off apart. If they have children, they may agree that continuing the marriage only continues to cause pain for everyone involved. They often determine that they would be better co-parenting from different households than from the same one.
Even though the prospect of ending the relationship brings out many emotions in both parties, they really have no place in the divorce process. Entering into the process from an emotional standpoint often causes it to degrade into a courtroom battle from which no one emerges victorious. Instead, viewing it as a financial process during which a plan for co-parenting is created can allow couples to negotiate their own settlements.
The idea of letting a judge who does not even know the family make decisions on their behalf often provides a powerful motivator for many couples who sit down and negotiate a divorce settlement. It can be tailored to their individual needs and to the needs of the children, if any. With the societal stigma of divorce no longer an issue, many couples who would otherwise have stayed together “for the sake of the children” are discovering that they can continue to be loving parents, and may even be better parents, once they are no longer married.
Source: Forbes, “A Fairy Tale Divorce: America’s Struggle With Breaking Up“, Stephan Rabimov, July 17, 2017
