1. Stephanie Gillooly FS – 121 November 2, 2011

2.  11 % of the United States population is divorced  Average length of divorce proceedings: 1 year  50% of first marriages end in divorce  1 in 4 adults has had a divorce

3.  40% of divorced mothers reported that they had interfered with the fathers visitation to punish him.  50% of mothers see no value in the fathers continued contact with his children.  63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes  Nearly 2 of every 5 children in America do not live with their fathers

4.  Can’t please their parents  Parents mad about child’s choice of one or the other  Mom’s house  Dad’s house  Can’t win

5.  Child as mediator  Parents argue through child  Child doesn’t know what to say  Caught in the middle  Child blamed  Wrong either way

6.  Deciding where the child(ren) will live  Either way the child will be missing out  Divorce Proceedings  Money  House  Custody

7.  Can’t get in the middle  Accused of not caring if they don’t  Negative connotations

8.  Child develops anger because they cant make the “right” choice  Child resents parent(s)  Blames them when older  Parents hate each other  Loss of communication

9.  Child tells parents how they feel  Wont choose one over the other  Doesn’t want to be in the middle  Family therapists  Parents need to compromise  Think of the child first  Child > money/house

10.  http://www.divorcestatistics.org/  http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/mar riage/  http://www.divorcerate.org/  http://www.childadvocate.net/divorce_effe cts_on_children.htm