The world was shocked by the news of Angelina Jolie filing for divorce from Brad Pitt on 15 September 2016. The couple had been together for 12 years, and married for 2. Jolie cited “irreconcilable differences” for their split. In a statement to the media, Jolie asked for privacy and said: “I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time.” The couple has 6 children- 3 adopted and 3 biological.
There are various “theories” to the divorce- including (1) parenting clashes, (2) third party, (3) anger and drug issues, and (4) drifting apart.
See: Joanne Soh “Bradxit: 4 theories about the Brangelina celebrity break-up”, 22 September 2016
All of the above “theories” are common reasons for divorce in Singapore.
Things are always rosy at the start before the children come along. Couples have time to themselves. With children come additional responsibilities and most couples have differences in parenting styles. Parents do unfortunately clash over parenting styles and this may be hard to reconcile.
As married couples spend more time on their children and less time on themselves, they may drift apart. They may become less understanding towards each other. Should a third party appear in their lives (someone who appears to be “more understanding” than their spouses), temptation will come into play. For those who succumb, that may spell the end of their marriages.
On top of these, couples may grow increasingly frustrated with each other. There will be more quarrels and less tolerance. As days go by, their (broken) relationship becomes harder to mend.
Some marriages will inevitably come to an end. On average, about 6,500 divorce writs are filed in the Family Justice Courts every year.
When all else fails, what matters really, are the children. Angelina Jolie has rightly pointed this out.
With children, the divorced couple will need to stay connected with each other and work together for the rest of their children’s lives. They will need to attend graduation ceremonies, weddings and other significant life events of their children together- as parents. Children are innocent parties to the divorce and they should be spared.
I always advise my clients to stay strong (and as much as possible, amicable) for their children. Their welfare will always be of paramount importance.
You may also be interested to read more about:
2. Annulment (Nullity) of Marriage
5. Maintenance Issues (Alimony)
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