I'm sure you know the 1 cause of divorce. That's right - money. But do you know what the 2 cause is? Amazingly, it's not sex. It's not infidelity. It's not verbal abuse. Nope, it's not even leaving the toilet seat up or fighting over the toothpaste cap.
What is it, you ask? What is the huge problem responsible for the breakup of couples and families the world over?
It's differences in parenting...
Think about it - I don't know about you, but I can barely stand it if my husband doesn't treat the dog the way I want him to. Imagine having a beautiful, defenseless child dependent on you for everything, and having strong disagreements with the child's other parent about how to care for them. Maybe your partner is more strict than you are. Or perhaps they believe in spanking and you don't. Or just the opposite - you're the strict one who believes in rules and discipline, but your partner encourages your kids to do whatever they want and shirk responsibility.
Ironically, while these disagreements over parenting can break up the family, that can cause a whole new set of problems just as difficult and painful to deal with - how to co-parent once you're no longer a couple. That's right, the person you couldn't agree with when you were married, now has the kids half the time (or more) and you're not always around to make sure they're making the best choices for your children.
If you're living in this special kind of hell, be sure to tune in to Enlightening Relationships this week as we interview Dr. Sheila Forman, licensed attorney, clinical psychologist, and professor at Loyola Marymount University's Department of Psychology. Dr. Forman has a successful private practice in which she helps many clients navigate these murky waters. She'll explain to us all the ways that couples and former couples can best co-parent, explaining how crucial it is for the healthy development of their children, preventing decades of possible depression, anxiety, emotional disorders, and relationship problems of their own.
Dr. Forman is the author of two self-help books: Self-fullness: The Art of Loving and Caring for Your 'Self' and Do You Use Food to Cope? A Comprehensive 15-Week Program for Overcoming Emotional Overeating.
So put the toilet seat up, screw on the toothpaste cap, and tune in, call in, and be Enlightened
