When you made the decision to divorce, you likely had a few concerns regarding how that decision would affect your children. You may relate to many Kentucky parents who were confident in their personal choice to leave their marriages but were worried about the possible negative consequences their situations might have in their children’s lives.
The good news is that most children are highly adaptable and those who have strong support systems can typically cope with divorce in as healthy and positive a manner as possible. There are no foolproof solutions to shielding your kids from any or all negative issues; however, the more you learn about the psychological growing stages of children in general, the better prepared you might be to help your kids overcome any challenges that arise.
Reaction to divorce tends to vary with age
If you happen to have kids in numerous age groups, you may find that each of them copes with your divorce in his or her own way. The following list, however, shows some of the most common reactions you can expect as your children adapt to a one-parent household:
- Even infants can feel stress. Your baby might cry a lot or have trouble napping, etc.
- Toddlers who are potty-trained might revert to their pre-trained conditions. This reaction has also been known to occur in older children.
- If you feel that your teenager is more argumentative or rebellious since you informed him or her that you are getting divorced, you may be right. This is a common reaction in children of this age group.
- Many school-aged children suffer a significant drop in performance and grades when they are trying to come to terms with a divorce situation at home.
There are any number of divorce-related issues that may cause stress or emotional turmoil for your kids. If you are having trouble achieving a co-parenting plan or grand-parents are expressing dissatisfaction with your situation, such matters can easily disrupt children’s routines and create obstacles to their emotional healing.
What you can do to support them
Many children feel better just by having a parent spend time with them and allow them to talk about their feelings. You can also reach out for support from various family programs or other resources in your community. As for legal issues, there is a fine line between trying to getting along with your ex for the sake of your kids and sitting back while your parental rights are violated or your parent-child relationship is sabotaged. You can access the family justice system at any time to resolve such problems.
