Anonymous wrote:I have a mom friend who recently moved to the US from Europe. She can’t believe the difficulties she runs into here having a career and having to take care of her kids. It is so much easier to be a working mom in Europe. Night and day.

In what way? I understand the health insurance thing but do they give free childcare?

Everything is so much better in Europe.

Anonymous wrote:I have a mom friend who recently moved to the US from Europe. She can’t believe the difficulties she runs into here having a career and having to take care of her kids. It is so much easier to be a working mom in Europe. Night and day.

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I have a mom friend who recently moved to the US from Europe. She can’t believe the difficulties she runs into here having a career and having to take care of her kids. It is so much easier to be a working mom in Europe. Night and day.

America is huge and people often live hundreds or thousands of miles from other family members and thus have to double their cost of living to live separate from their spouse, alone.

In Europe, extended families tend to be closer both physically and socially, and immediate family is usually nearby. Easy to just move in with immediate family or extended family members you're close to if marriage doesn't work out.

I don't think social safety net is a factor at all. Most places in Europe cost of living is higher, so having a better social safety net vs America with worse social safety net and lower cost of living evens out.

Anonymous wrote:They have a social safety net, we don't. It is very expensive to split up in this country.

+1
This makes all the difference.
You don't need someone else or an employer to have health care.
There are better options for child care and schooling.

Is she American and thus upon divorce has a visa or not? Stuck there anyhow?

Is he an a-hole narcissist? Divorcing that type takes years and coparenting manipulation is terrible.

Anonymous wrote:A very close friend just discovered that her husband of 21 years has been cheating on her. They have two older teens together and she is still hesitating in leaving him for logistical reasons/kids etc. I lived in Europe for 7 years of my life and never saw this. People who werent happily married just left the marriage, and I just cant help wondering why. Any thoughts?

No thoughts.

I don’t know the divorce or family law in their jurisdiction.

I don’t know what his or her financial situation is? Or family situation. Or religious situation. Or kids situation. Or work situation.

I did however notice when working in Europe that couples would often get pregnant or have a kid, and THEN get married. And stay married.

They have a social safety net, we don't. It is very expensive to split up in this country.

Anonymous wrote:A very close friend just discovered that her husband of 21 years has been cheating on her. They have two older teens together and she is still hesitating in leaving him for logistical reasons/kids etc. I lived in Europe for 7 years of my life and never saw this. People who werent happily married just left the marriage, and I just cant help wondering why. Any thoughts?

Where did you live in "Europe." Last time I checked it is made up of many cultures, laws, and nations.

I have relatives in Italy and divorce is extremely difficult to obtain, so a lot of people just move out and start new households but remain legally married, so they don't end up dealing with formal custody and division of marital assets.

Anonymous wrote:It’s a human decision. MYOB

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It’s a human decision. MYOB

Maybe it's cultural.

Maybe people here value an intact family more than in Europe?

Maybe it's because it's much harder financially to be a single parent here than in Europe. Social safety net here sucks.

Could be any number of reasons. Why don't you ask the close friend.

A very close friend just discovered that her husband of 21 years has been cheating on her. They have two older teens together and she is still hesitating in leaving him for logistical reasons/kids etc. I lived in Europe for 7 years of my life and never saw this. People who werent happily married just left the marriage, and I just cant help wondering why. Any thoughts?