Divorce Affecting Children

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Taking Sides: Divorce Affecting Children’s Development In today’s society, divorce is becoming a prevalent issue that plagues the traditional family. More and more couples are turning to divorce as the answer to their marital conflicts. But while divorce may be the answer for the parent’s contention, many researchers are claiming divorce may not be the best solution for children. One such researcher, Karl Zinsmeister, wrote an article in The American Enterprise entitled, “Divorce’s Toll on Children,” in which he expounds on the negative impact that divorce has on today’s children. The purpose of this paper is to critique Zinsmeister’s article, and explore its potential flaws and strengths. Summary In this article, Zinsmeister argues that parent’s divorce causes permanent damage to children that affects them the rest of their lives. He claims that divorce “has lasting significance on [children’s] later views of love, families, and life” (Zinsmeister 158). He outlines the ways in which divorce negatively affects children’s schooling, social interactions, mental health and even sexual identity and later marriages. He also claims that an unhappy household due to continued parental conflict causes less damage to children than divorce does, and thus preserving the marriage solely for the sake of the children is the best option. Zinsmeister also references several researchers in making his claim, such as Judith Wallerstein, Neil Kalter, John Guidibaldi, and John McDermott. He uses studies from experts such as these, as well as his own personal insights to defend his argument of why divorce has such a negative outcome on children. Critical Analysis Weaknesses Zinsmeister’s article displays several weaknesses which, from a reader’s point of view, are detrimental to the credibility of his argument. One weakness, which is not inherently perpetrated by
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