Gray Divorce

In 1990, one of ten people getting divorced were over 50. Generally, we have seen Iothe divorce rates decreasing except for the over 50 crowd--hence the term ”gray divorce”. In fact, one in four couples over 50 are getting divorced and according to Professor Brown of Bowling Green State University, research shows that 600,000 people over 50 sought divorce in 2009.


One can only speculate why boomers are divorcing in such numbers. Perhaps one of the following may be a factor:


1. Longer life with an incompatible mate
2. No kids at home to stay together for
3. More working women who are financially stable, and
4. Less stigma regarding divorce


Interestingly enough, it is the women that initiates the divorce. Jay Lebow, a pschologist at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, says ”if late life divorce were a disease, it would be an epidemic.” Many boomers will go into old age unmarried.


This is so foreign to the generation of my parents. They definitely stayed married for the children......never mind that the dysfunctional relationship caused much angst for the kids. My mother never worked so how was she going to leave the marriage? She was completely dependent on your husband both emotionally and financially. And growing up, I didn't even have a friend whose parents were divorced.


What happened to commitment? What good things come to you without hard work? Maybe my contemporaries are just plain tired of both commitment and hard work. They want to be part of the ”me” generation that their kids know all too well.

As for me, it seems as though I only have questions but no real answers. What do you think?


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Why are boomers now seeking divorce? One can only specl