Marriage Resource Center of Wayne County

JANUARY IS THE DIVORCING MONTH

“I think it’s caused by a combination of people waiting to get through the
holidays without causing too much upsetfor their families, as well as making New Year’s resolutions for themselves that they will not spend another year in a bad marriage,” divorce attorney Andrea Vacca said. We at the Marriage Resource Center know the flaw in their thinking.  While their intention is to improve their lives and relieve stress, they will instead bring unimagined additional stresses on themselves, put their children at greater risk of school failure, increase their financial struggles, and degrade their physical and emotional health. Research from the Institute for American Values confirms at least 26 positive benefits for couples who remain married—despite the struggles of doing so in our culture today.  And these benefits encompass all facets of life: relationships, finances, emotional, mental and physical health, and longevity.*  Additional research shows that dissatisfied couples who remain together rate themselves as happy or very happy five years later.  As most long-married couples know marriage is not a static position, but a dynamic relationship with ups and downs, and simply sticking together will often bring a positive change.  Of course, the Marriage Resource Center offers many options for getting to a better marriage sooner rather than later.  We offer a variety of workshops (for both marrieds and singles), a lending library, instructional videos, and private marriage lessons, as well as a website full of information and links to national resources.  Visit the MRC at 23400 Michigan Avenue, Suite P18, Dearborn, call our office to speak with a trained marriage educator (313.278.4400), email us at community@MImarriage.org, or visit our website at www.MImarriage.org.

Today is a great day to strengthen your marriage!

 *This statement comes from a team of family scholars chaired by W. Bradford Wilcox of the University of Virginia, William Doherty of the University of Minnesota, Norval Glenn of the University of Texas, andLinda Waite of the University of Chicago. The project is sponsored by the Institute for American Values. The Institute is grateful to Arthur E. Rasmussen for helping to initiate the project, to Maggie Gallagher forresearch and editorial assistance on the first edition, to the National Fatherhood Initiative for supporting the second edition, and to the Institute’s financial contributors for their generous support.  © 2005, Institute for American Values. First edition published 2002. Second edition 2005.