Understanding “Default Parent” Divorce

Marriages require a lot of work. Both partners need to put in the effort or else there ends up being loads of stress and resentment for the one doing everything.

Indeed, it seems like in recent times, women are increasingly stressed out by having to know and do everything involving the household, children, their careers, and everything else. Meanwhile , it’s typical for the man to work and do whatever he wants in his spare time, whether that means watching TV, playing video games, or hanging out with friends.

This isn’t just an eyewitness observation or exaggeration. It’s become a statistic. More and more relationships and marriages are ending due to something called default parent syndrome. This has become a phenomenon where, as the name suggests, one parent becomes the default parent in a two-parent household.

Unsurprisingly, the mother is much more likely to be the default parent. In fact, a study shows that 78% of mothers consider themselves the default parent, and those moms carry roughly 75% of the mental load for their family. What does this mean? It means you know everything about everyone in the family. You’re the go-to person for buying clothes. You have to make all the appointments. You’re the one required to find all the lost items. You have to constantly track the household’s food inventory. You probably even know your kids’ school and activity schedules.

Default parent divorce is on the rise due to a growing number of women realizing that they’re tired of handling everything on their own. It’s not just chores; it’s also anticipating everyone’s needs before they even arise. Women are being tasked with carrying the invisible mental and emotional labor for the entire family. The mother becomes the family manager, while father is merely an assistant.

Women are realizing that they aren’t just tired — they are also alone. Many moms say they feel like single parents while married, and that is sadly the emotional reality for many.

This emotional reality often leads to the breakdown of marriages. When women said they wanted it all, they didn’t say they wanted to do it all. Mothers are often forced to balance careers and parenting, but this is often impossible when also managing the household. Many women end up dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout from the load. Intimacy then suffers because women no longer feel like romantic partners. This eventually leads to divorce.

Seek Help for Your Divorce Case

Marriages end for a variety of reasons. A common issue is that women end up having to do all the work in a marriage, especially when children are involved.

Carrying the invisible load is a lot of work and stress. If you’re handling all the aspects of your marriage on your own, it may be time to consider divorce. The Dade City & Zephyrhills divorce attorneys from Madonna Law can offer compassionate legal help during this emotional time. To schedule a consultation, call (800) 557-0411 or fill out the online form.

Source:

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