Children don't need their parents to like each other. They don't even need them to be especially civil. They need them to stay together, for better or for worse. That's the conclusion of therapist Judith Wallerstein in her book The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce.

This imperative comes with asterisks, of course, but fewer than one might think. Physical abuse, substance addiction, and other severe pathologies cannot be tolerated in any home. Absent these, however, Wallerstein stands firm: at least where the children's welfare is concerned, a lousy marriage beats a great divorce.