As someone belonging to Gen X, I had the rare privilege of growing up in a family with happily married parents. My childhood years were some of my best because my parents were such exemplary beings who etched into my young heart what a good relationship should look like.

I never had to go through what my kids had to go through when I had to get a divorce to escape a domestic abuse situation. But, when I was talking to a friend yesterday, she mentioned how having married parents is no longer the norm. It is becoming increasingly common for couples to split ways if they’re in unhappy or abusive situations.

To me, this is as great a milestone as my parents set in terms of ‘healthy’ relationships. Back in their day, there was a ton of stigma on divorce, especially if you had kids. To me, part of being in a good relationship with yourself and your family is knowing when to walk away. It was the right decision at the time for the well-being of my children and myself.

But I do realize that are multiple non-convergent opinions on this. I’d love to know if you’re all for staying and saving your family unit or for walking away and building it anew when cracks begin to form in your marital relationship. I look forward to reading your answers in the comments below!