With statistics showing that there has been a 16 percent increase in the divorce rate among couples who have been married 30 or more years (1981-1991), couples who are in the second half of their marriage need help more than ever.
Reasons for Marital Burnout
There are many reasons why long-term marriages suffer from marital burnout, but many of these couples divorce because they focused so much of their lives on children and not on one another. Couples find themselves fearful of aging, depressed over their situation, and unsure about their future.
The authors suggest that when the kids leave home a couple needs to regroup, refocus, and refresh their marriage. If they don't, then their marriage will probably join the ranks of empty nester whose marriages fall apart.
Four Danger Signs
The four danger signs discussed are:
Escalation or "what goes around comes around." Invalidation or "painful put-downs." Withdrawal and advoidance or "hide and seek." Negative Interpretations or "when perception is worse than reality."
Tips for Empty Nest Couples
Bottom Line
This isn't just for couples who have a truly empty nest. Most marriages have their nests refilled with boomerang adult kids, visits from kids and grandkids, and grandkids on a full time basis. If you are interested in learning the danger signs that can lead to the divorce court, and want to know the major issues confronting couples who have had decades of marriage, then read this book.
