Research Papers / Children Of Divorce (Sociology) - Thoughts [2]

This is just a classic research paper for my sociology class - my choice of topic. Below, I have included what I have so far. Before I continue too far, I want to be sure that the topic and ideas are presented eloquently and make sense. I usually turn to my mom for this sort of thing - she is an English major. But given my topic, and her recent divorce, I wasn't very comfortable asking her.

Thanks!

Divorce and Children: For Better or For Worse?

Most Americans would agree that childhood and adolescence are undoubtedly some of the most trying periods in one's lifetime. During these times, youths face mounting academic pressures, pubertal changes, and more complicated social lives - all of which contribute to the stressful nature of maturation. Today, about 40% of children will experience divorce, and in turn an even more difficult childhood. On top of to the stresses that already exist in an adolescent's daily life, children from divorced families are exposed to parental tensions, increasing financial issues, and major changes to the life they are used to. Researchers have concluded that the short-term effects of divorce on children are, for the most part, negative. It obviously takes time for young people to adjust to their new lifestyle and accept their parents' separation. But the long-term effects that divorce has on children are not as clear.

Numerous researchers today have set out to determine the long-term effects of divorce, and have reported various findings. Some studies argue that people who see their parents separate before maturity will experience lasting effects. These may include relationship issues later in life, delayed development, or psychological problems. Contrarily, some argue that most children are extremely adaptable. Initially, most will be negatively impacted by the experience. But they will eventually develop and employ tools to cope with the changes caused by divorce, and end up living life as well-adjusted and normal adults. A few arguments even suggest that, in the long run, divorce has a positive impact on children because it removes much of the environmental tension and conflict associated with a failing marriage. So the question remains - is divorce better or worse for children in the long run?

The first thing to consider when observing the impacts of divorce is the practice itself. Divorce almost always refers to the legal dissolution of a marriage. People may choose to pursue a divorce for many reasons. The most common reasons today include adultery, financial issues, or simply differences that cannot be resolved. While divorce seems like a reasonable solution to problems such as these, both the law and society frowned upon the practice until quite recently. Because a vast majority of Americans were Christian, divorce was largely unacceptable on a social level. The synoptic gospels of the Bible highlight the sanctity of marriage and condemn its dissolution through divorce, and those of the Christian faith followed suit. Furthermore the legal system in many states required proof of "fault" before granting a divorce, making the process a drawn out and difficult one.

But towards the end of the 19th century, the incidence of divorce began a steady increase. With the greater incidence of divorce came a greater acceptance of it, and with greater acceptance more people felt comfortable ending their marriages in this way. By the 1960's, divorce rates were reaching all-time highs, and continuing to increase.

Today that increase has plateaued, and we are left with nearly one half of all marriages in the United States ending in a divorce. Many researchers have looked to determine why this trend is so rampant. Donna L. Franklin cites tension caused changes to the traditional marriage exchange, in which a husband offers economic resources in exchange for a wife's "social and domestic" services. Frank Furstenberg attributes the exceedingly high rate to higher standards for gratification in a relationship, which push adults to seek "more fluid and flexible arrangements". Now, with the causes of divorce rates being investigated, the next step is to study the effects. Key topics regarding these effects may include economic impacts, shifts in lifestyle, and changes to the family as a whole. all of which are interrelated.

Undergraduate / My Personality; William and Mary Optional Essay [3]

Topic question:
Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful?
We know that nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are. Anything goes! Inspire us, impress us or just make us laugh. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy and with an attitude, but please restrict your submission to what will fit on one sheet of paper.

My Response:
It worries me that I am holed up in my room on Christmas Day trying to complete a college application. But the more I think about it, I'm beginning to realize that I'm not in this position because I have put off the process. Admittedly, though, I am a professional when it comes to procrastination. Today I'm in this position because, as innocent as it may sound the question "What...makes you unique and colorful?" is extremely difficult to answer. There are so many things I could discuss in response to the prompt, but none of them seem to provide a good idea of who I really am.

I could easily say I am unique because of the way I dress. I have unconsciously crafted a unique style, that is apparently very distinct. My family and friends seem to know what I like better than I do, just from observing me on a day to day basis.

I could also say I am unique because I have a kind heart that gets me into trouble. I try very hard to please people and make others happy, sometimes to a fault. I can inadvertently put other's needs before mine. Or I could discuss my perpetual indecisiveness that drives my best friend crazy. I'm not sure why, but I hate to make decisions regarding where we should eat dinner or what movie we should see.

I might say I am colorful because of my Hispanic heritage. I grew up surrounded by my mother's side of the family, a large and loving one, half of which came from a Hispanic background. I learned to love tamales, biscochito cookies and my great grandmother's tales of growing up on a ranch.

I also could call myself colorful because of my questionable organizational skills when it comes to my room at home. The mess I call my bedroom has, over the years, become the bane of my mothers existence. She has tried many times to teach me her unnaturally organized ways, unfortunately with no success. She calls it a disaster, I call it organized chaos.

However, none of these things gives my reader a true sense of my personality. Each may be important to my identity, but on their own they are incomplete pictures.

I am so many different things, and all if these things make me unique. Someone may have the same style as I do. Someone else may be a Hispanic teenage girl living in Virginia. Someone else may be just as indecisive as I am. But it the combination of these things that makes me unique. In the end, I think this is why I find myself in this position. I have struggled and struggled to find one witty, tear-wrenching, or insightful topic that encompasses my personality and sets me apart from the rest. But that is impossible to do becaus one topic will never be able to describe who I really am.