For the Kids...

'"Stay together for the children's sake." A classic cliché of the parents' "duty" to their offspring.

Of course divorce can screw a kid up. But so can a marriage.

It's been heard to be said that, "It's impossible to calculate the impact of depriving a child of the family environment, no matter how 'civilised' the parting...."

But it's also impossible to calculate the impact of raising a child in a loveless and dysfunctional home environment. When a child's parents are their primary role model for adult life and relationships, parents must ask themselves what message they want to send to those kids.

Seriously. Parents model what adult life is "supposed" to be like to their children. Some children may learn from their parents mistakes, but far more kids simply repeat them.

Far more important than everyone living in the same household, is that both parents should be present and involved in their children's lives.

Stay together for the kids? Hell no. If you're staying together "for the kids" you're obviously not in a place you want to stay. Let your kids grow up with two happy parents, who are pursuing good lives separately, and are able to still come together for the sake of the kids when needed. Let them see that they don't have to suffer forever over a bad decision, and that problems in life, even seemingly big ones, can be solved creatively and productively.'

- Author Unknown