What Sustains America's 'Marriage-Go-Round'?

"Kids need stability in their households, and our family structure gives them less of it than does any other prosperous nation," he says.

"If you already have a child and you've broken up with the other parent, slow down," Cherlin adds. "Take your time bringing new people into your household."

Support Systems Lost
Cherlin points to our modern sense of mobility as a contributing factor in the prevalence of divorce. "People who move long distances lose their support systems," Cherlin says. Divorce rates are significantly higher in Florida and the West, where the population is rich with transplants, than in Upper Midwest states like Minnesota and North Dakota, where people tend to stay put.

Cherlin believes it may turn out to be a good thing for the longevity of their relationships that people are waiting longer to get married. Many of the Gen-Xers tying the knot today are themselves children of divorce, he says, but it's too early to know if they'll repeat their parents' patterns.

Of one thing he is sure: Divorce has done little to lessen our veneration of marriage.

"It's becoming a symbol of living a successful personal life," Cherlin says. "It's as if marriage is the ultimate personal badge, and everyone wants to wear it."