Some couples will stay in a failing marriage because they have children. Other couples will end the marriage even if they have children because they don’t want to lie to their children or cause them any further emotional harm. Either way, it’s a difficult decision for parents to make and one that must be considered deeply. Today, we will discuss the emotional impact of divorce on children.
The most difficult time for your children will be the first year following your divorce. Your child will likely suffer from disbelief, anger, fear, depression and anxiety and distress in the two years following your divorce. It will get easier for them as time passes, but you should try to make it as easy on them as possible from the minute you tell them about the divorce.
Younger children will struggle with the fact that they now must live in two homes. Children of a young age might also have a fear that their parents will stop loving them at some point since their parents stopped loving each other.
Teenagers are not exempt from the emotional impact of divorce either. They most often experience anger and disbelief that the divorce happened. Teenagers are much more inclined to develop an attitude with one or both parents and to openly blame their parents for the divorce.
As you can see, children can be deeply impacted by the divorce of their parents. You can make sure they recover quicker from the divorce by helping them stay confident, providing a united front and keeping them close with their friends and other family members.