The Effects of Divorce on Children:.
One of the most frequently asked question over the last two decades has been, "Is divorce harmful to children?- While this may seem like a very important question, I would like to suggest that it is time to examine a more important question which is ""what are the factors in divorcing families that contribute to children having difficulties and what are the difficulties that they have? And more so how can parents help resolve those issues?.
One out of every two marriages today ends in divorce and divorcing families include children. There is an estimated 1,075,000 children involved in divorce. There are 20 million children under the age of 18 living with just one parent. (Clarke, 1995. vol. 43). Parents who are getting a divorce are frequently worried about the effect the children will receive. .
"The public opinion has undergone dramatic pendulum swings; the media loves drama and proliferates the false belief that all divorces ravage children.""(C.R. Ahrons). As it were the divorce itself, and not the way the family handles it, or what improvements are being sought in the family that impacts the child in the long term. A family is a system we cannot underestimate the pain inherited by our children for marriages that are unworkable. .
The research I have found concludes that divorce does affect the child involved. The parents have the greatest impact on the children through the way that they handle the divorce. I will discuss what I found in the following paragraphs. Some of these things may come as a shock, but for the most part we are talking about precious children that God sent to us to protect and care for. .
Guideline for Parents.
Telling the child is the most important thing a parent can do. Be open and honest, and don't keep it a secret for the child's sake. Parents should do this together if applicable.