Independent Reading; Along for the Ride; Reading Skills II

In this book, I'm wondering if Heidi and Auden's dad will work things out within their marriage. And I'm also wondering, will Auden develop a closer bond with Heidi, or will she still stick with her dad even though his choices aren't the best for his relationship with Heidi. Here is a passage from the book showing the conflict between Heidi and Auden's dad about their baby's name;

"Middle name,' he repeated. 'And only because her mother insisted. I wanted to name her Thisbee Andromeda.' Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Heidi wince. 'Really?' I said. 'Its powerful!' he replied, pounding his chest for emphasis. 'Memorable. And it can't be shortened or cutified, which is how a name should be. If you were an Ashley or a Lisa, and not an Auden, do you think you'd be so special?' I wasn't sure how I was supposed to answer to this. Did he actually expect me to agree that it was his choice of name, and not all my hard work, that had gotten me where I was? Luckily, it seemed to be a rhetorical question, as he was already en route to the fridge, where he pulled out a beer."

Now if I was Auden in this situation, I would feel totally surprised by her dad's actions because he doesn't even have the respect to stay in the conversation, but instead he just starts walking to the fridge signaling that he is right and his word is the final word. That is the problem in their relationship, and I don't know if they will figure it out. About 40-50%  of couples in the US get divorced. That's almost half! I don't have high hopes for them.

Marriage & divorce

Marriage and divorce are both common experiences. In Western cultures, more than 90 percent of people marry by age 50. Healthy marriages are good for couples’ mental and physical health. They are also good for children; growing up in a happy home protects children from mental, physical, educational and social problems. However, about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce. The divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even higher.

Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology

http://apa.org/topics/divorce/