the modern woman's divorce guide

The news on the wire, that we’ve all anticipated for weeks now, is that Jon and Kate, have filed for legal separation. For those of you who may not know who Jon and Kate are or why their separation is news….the quick low-down – Jon and Kate rose to fame on the Discovery channel when Kate gave birth to sextuplets, which followed the birth of twins (approximately 4+ years earlier). Kate suffered from a condition that required IVF, which resulted in the fertilization and successful birth of sextuplets, who all appear to be in great health, and are very cute. This phenomenon then became the subject of a reality television show documenting the lives of the family.

Now, I don’t always comment on celebrity or reality tv divorces, but this one has my attention. Why? Because I’m concerned that this couple, who chose to give birth to 8 children, may not have done enough to save their marriage. This is my perception because in all the years that Jon and Kate has been on the air, and for all the obvious challenges they’ve faced publicly, they’ve never indicated that they have undergone couples and/or individual counseling that might save their marriage and family. And, in a situation like this, where this couple chose to create the life and family they did, I think it should be their top priority to give it everything they’ve got, even if that means years of counseling and perhaps, giving up the tv show. If they did spend several of last years in counseling before deciding to separation, I think the reality show should have documented it and shared it with their fans, who could have learned a great deal about marriage, family, and commitment. And, if they do proceed with the separation and subsequently divorce, I hope the show continues and allows the world to watch the intricacies of raising a family after divorce. – Just my humble, divorce attorney opinion.