A recent study released by stepdadding.com illustrates some interesting data: husbands who serve as stepfathers are twice as likely to leave their wives than husbands in traditional marriages. More than half (61%) of male respondents who articulated an end to their remarriage were the ones who initiated the divorce. It seems that the strain of adjusting to a blended family might be part of the reason that certain families fall apart, leading to a call to a divorce attorney.
When it comes to the survey respondents and their backgrounds, all of the men who initiated the split from a second or third marriage were stepfathers to at least one child. When looking at traditional marriages and the numbers of men who initiate the divorce, step dads do so at twice the rate of traditional relationships.
The same men who were polled listed leading reasons for the divorce being “arguments over the kids” as well as “a feeling of being unappreciated”. Another one-third of men in this situation did not feel clear about their parenting role in the new marriage, hinting that serving as a step-parent is considered a serious challenge by many individuals.
Choosing how to parent the children is difficult enough, and this serves as a common cause for fighting between two parents. That situation is amplified when other parents (like ex-wives and ex-husbands) are involved and when step-parents don’t feel full authority to discipline children as needed. In this situation, feelings of frustration and remorse can build up between two adults, causing friction in the relationship and causing one or both to consider divorce. If you have been struggling in your second or third marriage to adapt to raising step-children, you are not alone. If you’re contemplating divorce, reach out today to the offices of a qualified Illinois family attorney.
