Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Divorce - it is everywhere!!!!

OK, I just run across this piece today, althought I really think it has run to me
http://www.elle.com/featurefullstory/13910/divorce-wars.html

It is a long piece but well worth the read. Could someone from N.Y. tell me please if that is really so???

My problem is different. Since we are going back to Europe this summer, I was looking up the books that I could/should purchase for my kids to read in my native language (both are fluent readers in this language). I have been doing this for years, checking out award winners etc.and buying tons of books.
This year I am shocked to report that almost all of the books deal with divorce, second families, half siblings. I was perplexed. No more books about families that "stick together".
Normal families , in my world anyway!
Anyone notices the trend???

In DD's class, there a few "normal families" but also mothers who bought eggs and sperm and carried their babies (being older they bought eggs too) and are doing it alone, same sex (male) parents (of 2 daughters). I do not know if that is consistent across this board, but these are pretty normal for NYC.
Ren

My parents divorced when back when it was more a rarity (1975) and it was horrible to be the kid from a broken home. While I am a believer in "normal families", the one good thing about general acceptance of atypical families is that kids aren't stigmatized these days (since so many have similar or more convoluted situations).

I think we travelled a few decades back in time when we moved to the 'burbs from the city. I'd estimate that 95% of families at DS's school are in traditional marriages, mom stays home, dad earns the $$, mom does most of the caretaking. Our family is in the minority with me as a working professional and DH contributing 50% to housework and child rearing.

While I am a fan of "intact" families and love that the parents are very involved with their children, there is a bit of a stepfordwive-ish feeling I get from the homogenity in the community. I can imagine that it would be very hard for a single-parent family to feel a strong sense of belonging 'round these parts. Even I get that feeling at times for my non-SAHM status.

I hear you, Jool.

Divorce always makes me sad--I wish that everyone who wants to be married would find a wonderful spouse and stay happy and supported/supportive with them for life. I'm a romantic that way. But I also believe that a good divorce is better than a horrible marriage, and that there is no single "right life" for everyone. Different strokes for different folks.

When everyone around me starts looking like they're living the same life, it makes me nervous!

I was really focusing on the young adult literature.
Not so much everyday life.
I am also sorrounded by single parent/divorced households.
But why is there such a craze to write about this subject?
Honestly, I looked around at what is available for my kids to read and 80% of the literature deals with divorce, half families etc.
I do not want my kids to grow up and read that having multiple divorces, moms with multiple husbands and multiple offspring from those husbands is the norm!!!!!
Is my husband and I such a minority this days?
Should I form faithful marriages club

The AP English teacher at the high school gave me a reading list she had compiled (it's several pages long). It includes fiction & non-fiction, classic and modern. I ordered several books from the list. The talent search booklets (Johns Hopkins, for instance) have good reading lists, too. DS 13 plows through books--I can't keep up. I can ask him for his favorites.

DS9 was excited to see 3rd book in Lightening Thief series and another Artemis Fowl are out. The highest recommendations from them go to the series The Takers, Delon City, and a third book I forget. House of the Scorpion.

Some of my favorite books are about different cultures (China, India, etc.) in contemporary fiction. I have no problem reading about narcissism in US, but sometimes find it depressing.

Oops--I guess it's another book by the same author but not in the Artemis series...Airman or something.