Divorce and Children
DIVORCE AND CHILDREN…
EXPLORING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN
INTRODUCTION
Pickhardt (2006) defined divorce as the process in which two individuals decided to legally separate all aspect of their lives (legal, social, physical, and emotional) to develop their own individual lives. In today’s society, divorce is becoming an increasing epidemic of married couples with or without children. Such divorces that involve kids become increasingly difficult due to the stability of the children involved. Many children feel a sense of guilt when he or she learns that their parents are getting a divorce. Children often take the blame and feel as if he or she was the cause of their parents’ problems and the reason for divorce. Lansky also accredits divorce to being the single most traumatic experience within a child’s life that does experience the divorce of their parents (Lansky 2003).
DIVORCE AFFECTS IN CHILDREN
Divorce impacts anyone who is involved within the matter. Studies use to assume that preschoolers were the worst effected by divorce, but further research does not support this theory. In fact, there's not a single age that is clearly worse or clearly better effected by a parents divorce. The unfortunate act within divorce is that children get caught in the middle of divorce, when the children are simply innocent victims within such situations. Children, individuals at the age of ten and younger, can have a difficult time within such an event. Kids at this age aren’t at the emotional or psychological state to be able to fully grasp the circumstances of divorce and how it can be inevitable with most failing marriages. Because of their age, they feel that each parent should stay together no matter what and can’t look outside of the situation to evaluate the true damage being done to all relationships surrounding the marriage. Children of this age depend upon parents to provide stability, love, and security. Once divorce
EXPLORING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN
INTRODUCTION
Pickhardt (2006) defined divorce as the process in which two individuals decided to legally separate all aspect of their lives (legal, social, physical, and emotional) to develop their own individual lives. In today’s society, divorce is becoming an increasing epidemic of married couples with or without children. Such divorces that involve kids become increasingly difficult due to the stability of the children involved. Many children feel a sense of guilt when he or she learns that their parents are getting a divorce. Children often take the blame and feel as if he or she was the cause of their parents’ problems and the reason for divorce. Lansky also accredits divorce to being the single most traumatic experience within a child’s life that does experience the divorce of their parents (Lansky 2003).
DIVORCE AFFECTS IN CHILDREN
Divorce impacts anyone who is involved within the matter. Studies use to assume that preschoolers were the worst effected by divorce, but further research does not support this theory. In fact, there's not a single age that is clearly worse or clearly better effected by a parents divorce. The unfortunate act within divorce is that children get caught in the middle of divorce, when the children are simply innocent victims within such situations. Children, individuals at the age of ten and younger, can have a difficult time within such an event. Kids at this age aren’t at the emotional or psychological state to be able to fully grasp the circumstances of divorce and how it can be inevitable with most failing marriages. Because of their age, they feel that each parent should stay together no matter what and can’t look outside of the situation to evaluate the true damage being done to all relationships surrounding the marriage. Children of this age depend upon parents to provide stability, love, and security. Once divorce
References: Ahrons, Constance (2004). We’re still family: What grown children have to say about their Parents’ divorce Arasteh, Josephine D. (1988). Impact of Divorce, Single Parenting, and Step parenting on Children Benedek, Elissa P. & Brown, Catherine F. (1995). How to help your child overcome your divorce Divorce Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved on June 27, 2009, from http://www.divorcestatistics.org Garfinkel, Irwin & McLanahan, S. (1986). Single Mothers and Their Children: A New American Dilemma (pp.24-25) Lansky, Vicki (2006). Divorce book for parents: Helping your children cope with divorce and its aftermath McLanahan, S. & Booth, K. (1989). Mother-only families: Problems, prospects, and politics. Neuman, M. Gary & Romanowski, Patricia (1998). Helping your kids cope with divorce: the sandcastles way Parenting without Partners, International (n.d.). Facts about single parent families. Retrieved on June 27, 2009, from http://www.parentswithoutpartners.org/Support1.htm Pickhardt, Carl E. (2006). The Everything: Parent’s guide to children and divorce. Avon, MA: Adams Media. Rodriguez, H & Arnold, C. (1998). Children & Divorce: A Snapshot. Retrieved on June 26, 2009, from http://www.clasp.org/publications/children_and_divorce.htm Wallerstein, Judith, Lewis, Julia, & Blakeslee, Sandra. (2001). The Unexpected Legacy of divorce: A 25 Year Landmark Study