Should I keep trying to resolve this? “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the big divorce party?” (Gagnon 124) Marriage can be a beautiful thing, but some couples fail to maintain their relationship because they choose divorce as a solution to address problems between husband and wife. Divorces are definitely on the rise. The usual explanations are communication, balance and commitment, and it's hard to disagree with them. Although age is assumed to be the primary driver of divorce, research indicates that there are multiple explanations for divorce. “In the United States, researchers estimate that 40%-50% of all first marriages, and 60% of second marriages, will end in divorce.” (Popenoe 18) Many factors can influence a person's outlook on marriage. If a person grew up with parents who never divorced and had a good marriage, this may make them more determined to make their marriage work. Growing up with parents who have a bad marriage can leave a lifelong mark. Children of a bad marriage would likely retain that negative impression and perhaps be more affected by divorce rates. “The highest divorce rates ever recorded occurred in the 1970s and early 1980s. The divorce rate has actually decreased slightly since then, but it still remains at a historically high rate.” (Popenoe 19) Since divorce rates are on the rise, there is sometimes a negative spin on marriage. A person either seriously believes in a marriage or seriously believes that a marriage doesn't work. Research has correlated various factors that lead to a higher risk of divorce. "There are some well-known factors that expose people to a greater risk of divorce: getting married at a very early age, lower education and income, a premarital pregnancy, the role of women, coming from a divorced family, stress in modern life and lack of communication.”(Bramlett 23) The three main factors are the role of women, stress in modern life and lack of communication....... middle of paper...... L Binding commitment includes social pressure from family and friends friends, financial concerns, children, religious or moral beliefs about divorce, and fear about the future Although divorce may be necessary at times, parents have a responsibility to do everything they reasonably can to preserve and repair their marriage, especially when reasons for divorce are not the most serious ones. Doherty says, "Obstacles to ending a marriage, such as financial worries, can keep marriages together in the short term. However, unless there is an improvement in the relationship, ultimately the barriers are usually not enough to keep a marriage together long-term" (41). The family is an important part of society and divorce has become a problem substantial due to changing gender roles, stress in modern life and lack of communication Although people tend to think carefully before getting married, divorce rates continue to increase nowadays.