Ensuring Your Child’s Well-Being through a Difficult Divorce
Parents are hard-wired to protect their child from harm. This is not always an easy task, especially when a family is going through a divorce. Divorce can be a painful process for both parents and children, and parents must stay attentive for signs that a child is struggling.
Marie Hartwell-Walker, a psychologist and marriage and family therapist, explains four signs that parents should look out for. These signs include:
• When children side with one parent over another
• When children start clinging to each other
• When children turn down invitations and stay home
• When there is a change in a child’s performance at school, for better or worse
These signs can come from a child wanting more attention, or possibly hoping to repair the parents’ relationship. Parents must make children understand that divorce is adult business and has nothing to do with what a child does or doesn’t do.
It is critical that parents help children through the divorce with strength and understanding. A recent study conducted by Mark Cummings, professor of psychology, explains the lasting effects divorce can have on children. Divorce can lead to emotional insecurity, behavioral issues and even mental health problems. The study also found that families that avoid conflict in front of children tend to have more secure and stable children.
Divorce is difficult for everyone involved, and it can be especially difficult without the guidance of family professionals and an experienced attorney. Avoiding conflict throughout the divorce, especially in front of children, becomes essential to how they perceive coming changes to their lives. If you are experiencing a divorce and concerned about conflict in front of your children, engaging professional help may help provide solutions to keep conflict where it should be, in the courtroom and out of your children’s lives.
