How divorce affects children

On Behalf of | Dec 9, 2016 | Divorce

Many of the people who get divorced each year in Minnesota are parents of young children. In fact, all of the divorces that occur in the United States affect around 1 million children every year. Many of these children will have some trouble adjusting to their new family structure, but the problems that they experience will usually resolve over time.

Children of divorced parents might display many different kinds of behavioral changes when they react to their parents’ divorces. Some will have anxiety while other children may act out at school. Their ability to cope with a divorce can be greatly affected by their parents’ ability to do so. That’s why it can be very important for divorcing parents to get counseling so that they can be strong enough to provide emotional support for their children. Once they get control of their own emotions, they can start to put their children’s needs first.

Research has shown that children usually adjust to a divorce in about two or three years. However, a child may continue to experience feelings of loss on holidays and other special events. Parents can help their children to get through a divorce by maintaining routines and assuring their children that they love them and that the divorce was not their fault.

Some estranged couples agree to co-parent while others argue over which parent will have full child custody. In the event of a dispute, family law attorneys might suggest mediation sessions as a way to resolve this issue with a minimum of strife and spillover to the children.