The Effect of Divorce on Children

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The Effect of Divorce on Children
Introduction
Divorcing couples are undoubtedly always concerned with the welfare of their children. Parents who are on the brink of divorce tend to protect their children from the underlying stress of the phenomenon. Despite all the attempts, children in such families often suffer the wrath of divorce and the situation call for more than just protection.
Many scholars have availed some helpful information about the impact of divorce on children. Previous studies indicate that the effects of divorce on children depend on how old the child is at the time of divorce, sex and individuality and the extent of the situation together with external and family support. This work explores how children are impacted on by divorce of their parents.
The Effects of Divorce on Children
Stress
Even in cases of extreme conflicts in the family, most children do not desire to see their parents go their separate ways. Divorce jeopardizes the relationship between children and their parents (Hart 189). Change in the family is perhaps one of the aspects of divorce that children dread most. It forces children to put up with new family atmosphere and may at times lose contact with their friends and extended family members (Emery 35).
Divorce result into loss of attachment with one of the parents and other family members. Family contact is very important in growth and development of children and reduced association with some family members will certainly lead to stress in children. Children in divorced families often face the fear of abandonment. They are always afraid that they may also lose the remaining parent and often worry too much about their future welfare.
The extent of the conflict between the parents is often another cause of stress in children in divorcing families (Ashmore and Brodzinsky 234). In the heat of disagreement, children will most likely take sides and feel guilty and responsible for the mishap in their families. This leads to a distressful situation in the children’s lives. Such children usually exhibits anguish and short tempers in their actions.
Divorce Exposes Children to Psychological and Behavioural Problems
Children who are disturbed as a result of divorce of their parents find it difficult to control their emotions and are often the most disobedient and incorrigible in the society. Long time depression of the children may lead to psychological disorders in the children from broken marriages (Nurcombe and Partlett 109).
Economic Losses
Children from single- parenthood caused by divorce more often are faced with the challenge of inadequate economic resources that expose them to all sorts of troubles. The parent who has the custody of the children is most likely to have little financial resources than there was when the family was intact. The children’s welfare is highly dependent on the family income. Divorce result i...