Can Having More Kids Lead To Divorce?

On Behalf of | Feb 4, 2021 | Divorce |

Colorado couples with multiple children, especially girls, are often more at risk for divorce. Having a large number of children to raise together may seem like a way to solidify your marriage, but research shows otherwise. Statistics show that more women with daughters choose to divorce.

Why mothers of daughters divorce their husbands

There are many factors that can contribute to mothers of daughters divorcing more than mothers of sons. Mothers of sons may be reluctant to leave the marriage in fear of not having a father figure for their sons. Additionally, it appears that sons help much less with household chores than daughters do. This may make a mother reluctant to take on all responsibilities of living in a single-parent household. The human fear of being lonely is also not as daunting to mothers of girls because daughters tend to offer more social support than sons.

Female survival advantage

A few studies suggest that the female survival advantage over men actually begins in utero. This means that female embryos are more likely to survive the stresses that a bad marriage can cause on pregnancy than male embryos. These studies indicate that girls are simply born to already stressed relationships and do not necessarily cause the divorce.

Large numbers of children

Whether the children are male or female, large numbers of children born into the marriage can add stress. Lack of intimacy is a big reason for divorce. The more children there are, the fewer the opportunities to connect with a spouse. Additionally, many parents become so involved in their roles as parents that they forget they are a couple first.

Having more children does not cause divorce, but it can increase stress and place an already fragile marriage in jeopardy. If you are worried about the state of your marriage and your legal options, you may want to ask a family law attorney for advice.