Although you might think practice makes perfect, that's not true statistically when it comes to marriage.
In fact, the divorce rate increases fairly substantially for second and third marriages.
According to DivorceRate.
org, the divorce rate for first marriages in America is about 41 percent.
For second marriages, the divorce rate increases to 60 percent and it skyrockets to a whopping 73 percent for third marriages.
So what is it that makes second and third marriages even less likely to last than first? There are certainly lots of possibilities about what makes them more likely to dissolve.
Often, it is a combination of complicated factors that can lead a second and third divorce.
The Grass is Always Greener Philosophy Sometimes people just assume that things are always better elsewhere.
They jump ship when the going gets rough.
These are the people who fall in love fast and hard.
But, when the love seems a little intense, their mind (and eyes) might begin to wander.
As they daydream about how life could be better elsewhere, they put in less effort in their marriage.
This can lead to divorce followed by jumping into a new relationship quickly.
It can be a cycle that gets repeated over and over.
Unresolved Grief Jumping into a new marriage too soon after divorce doesn't usually bode well.
Loneliness, sadness, fear and financial problems are often temporarily solved when people dive into a new relationship.
The excitement and emotional high can cause them to overlook compatibility issues with a new partner.
It's important to spend plenty of time grieving the end of the first marriage before jumping into the second.
There is no exact timeline that says you can't date for a certain number of months or years.
Instead, it's important to really focus on healing before moving on, no matter how long that takes.
Partial Commitment Imagine if a martial artist was going to chop a board in half but only partially committed to his karate chop.
It likely wouldn't work out for him.
Well the same can be said when people enter into a marriage with only partial commitment.
Whether it is because they felt wronged in the first marriage or they are just a little gun shy about getting married again, many people enter into a second marriage with a little hesitation about committing fully.
They are more likely to have more assets than they did the first time around and they might have difficulty sharing.
Many people don't share bank accounts or money the second time around.
Entering into a marriage with one foot already out the door isn't a good way to get things started.
When people are remarrying, it is important to be able to be fully committed to the relationship in order for it to have the best chance in working out.
Not Having Biological Children Together Since many couples remarry when they are a little older, they often don't have children together.
Without children, some couples feel less like a family.
This can cause them to feel less committed to keeping the family intact.
They also might not worry about the impact that a divorce would have on any children they have from a previous marriage.
Blended Family Issues When couples have children from previous marriages, it can be difficult.
Loyalty issues sometimes abound and one side of the family gets pitted against the other.
This can take a toll on the marriage.
Raising step-children isn't easy and parents need to be well-prepared for how to live in a blended family.
Independence Many people these days are just more independent than ever before.
It's not a bad thing to be independent, but it can certainly free people up to get divorced.
With more women in the work place, women are less financially dependent on husbands.
Some couples however can be too independent.
When someone is used to doing things a certain way and isn't really interested in compromising, it can prevent a couple from really becoming joined as one.
It's important to develop a balance between independence and dependence in a marriage.
Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming more like roommates than partners.
Attitude Toward Divorce Sometimes a person's attitude about divorce changes a little after they've been divorced once.
When people think, "I've been through it once and lived," it can make divorce seem like it's not such a bad option.
This can be especially true by the time the third one comes along.
In fact, by the third divorce, people might come to expect it is going to happen.
When divorce doesn't seem like such a bad option, it can make some people put a little less effort into preserving and saving the marriage.
When things get rough, instead of trying to fix it, they jump ship with the attitude of "oh well.
" Keeping a marriage strong takes hard work and dedication, which means a willingness to ride out the storms.