Marriage and dating the second time around is challenging on all fronts. Sociologist Andrew Cherlin of John Hopkins University says that compared to other countries, men and women from the US are twice as likely to seek a divorce as any other country. If you compare separation/divorce rates to the Italians, our rate is a whopping 7 times as high!

Chernin sights several factors:

• More Americans live together before marriage which adds a higher risk of future breakup
• American’s standards for happiness are much higher than any other country

Divorcees will tend to live with someone first before they get married. This may be why divorcees are much more likely to get divorced the second and third time.

Chernin’s only solution is to slow down the dating and courtship process.

I think Chernin’s solution while solid is a bit flawed. For instance, I would point out that American’s have already slowed the courting process down by marrying later and later yet this hasn’t worked.

My solution to this dilemma is as simple as it is challenging: learn how to communicate one on one, nose to nose, toes to toes while dating, before you get married!

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