Parents in Owensboro love their children equally, whether they are girls or boys. So it may be shocking to learn that research suggests that the gender of a married couple’s children seems to affect the chances that the couple will get divorced. Specifically, parents of girls seem to end up divorced more often than parents who only have sons.
This is not to suggest that raising a daughter is more of a strain on a marriage than a son. In fact, it could mean that having a daughter makes married women feel more prepared to end their marriages.
Daughters, Sons and Divorce Statistics
More than ten years ago, a study found that married couples with daughters were 10 percent more likely to divorce than parents of sons. Some interpreted this to mean that raising daughters somehow put more of a strain on marriage than sons. But another statistic puts the earlier findings in a different perspective.
According to one psychologist, in 73 percent of recent straight divorces, the wife left the husband. An article on the subject speculates that mothers of girls might receive more emotional support from their children and thus are more likely to feel empowered to end a marriage that is not working. On the other hand, the article continues, mothers of boys might be reluctant to take their children away from their fathers or believe they will not help out around the house as girls would.
This is mostly speculation and further research into why parents of girls divorce more often is needed.
As a parent, you want to protect your parental rights in your divorce while also minimizing the disruption and emotional upheaval your children experience. An experienced divorce attorney can help you balance these needs.