Social media is ostensibly meant to bring people together, not tear them apart. However, in recent years, these sites seem to have accomplished the opposite for many couples, as there are studies which indicate that sites such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram may be a contributing factor to divorce rates. 

Although most people begin using social media accounts with positive intentions, these apps can start consuming a high percentage of a person’s day. The average American checks their social media 17 times each day. Although this statistic is much lower than many other countries, Americans utilize the most mobile data on a consistent basis, using an average of 4.7 hours daily per person. You may also be surprised to learn that adults ages 25 to 54 are the most frequent culprits when it comes to compulsive social media checking. All of this time we spend attached to our phones can take away from valuable family time and can give too much of our attention to the lives of others. These sites are now commonly cited as a factor leading to the demise of a relationship.

Social media is everywhere. Over the last decade, social media usage has skyrocketed to over 90% of the population. From opinionated tweets, to eye-catching photography on Instagram, to everyday stories on Facebook, everyone has something to say. While this is great for building businesses and maintaining relationships, sometimes not everything is meant to be shared with the world. Poorly timed posts have resulted in job loss, lawsuits, and even arrests. Likewise, anyone considering divorce should carefully think about who may be watching.

Admissibility in Court

Accuracy is essential when it comes to the paternity of a child. What the future may hold for a child is often at stake, in addition to any pending marital, custody, or support issues. An accurate test enables the child to have a bond with a paternal figure, a relationship that is proven to have numerous benefits for the child even after they enter into adulthood. However, before you grab a paternity test at your local drug store, you will want to consider the accuracy rate of such testing.

How Paternity Tests Work

No one enters into a marriage expecting their relationship to end someday. When a marriage breaks down, spouses are often lost and confused as to how they got to this point, with many of them proclaiming, “Neither of us believes in divorce!” However, divorce is not an event that “just happens.” Typically, it is the result of a series of missteps which bring a partnership to a point of irreconcilable differences. Sometimes, both spouses see this coming as the inevitable next step. In other situations, the decision is seen as coming from “out of the blue,” leaving the non-initiating spouse reeling and questioning what they missed. Here are a few factors which can commonly lead to the breakdown of a marriage, and to a potential divorce:

Little or No Conflict Resolution

In the United States, a divorce is granted about once every 36 seconds, adding up to approximately 2,400 marriages ended every day. Although the divorce rate is 40% lower for families with children, nearly 50% of children born to married couples will witness the dissolution of their biological parents' marriage by the time they reach age 18. Many studies document the negative effects of divorce on children, but having two parents who stay involved with their children can minimize many of these effects. However, if one parent is willingly absent, a stepparent adoption can provide many benefits to both parents and children.

What It Means for a Stepparent to Adopt