Family law disputes are usually tough
and emotional for everyone involved. Separation and divorce present a difficult
emotional experience for families, with varying implications for parents and
children. Considering the numerous legal issues that a family can face, it is
important to seek erudite and compassionate legal counsel from a Michigan
divorce attorney to assist you through the unique challenges. This is a critical
stage because most of the decisions you make during the initial stages will affect
the outcome of your divorce and the wellbeing of your children.
What
Do Studies Suggest About Divorce and Kids?
The reality of a divorce has a
considerable impact on all members of a family, and it is only natural for
parents who are considering divorce to worry about the effects of such a change
on their children. Studies suggest that children
adjust in different ways depending on multiple factors including the number
of children in the family, their age, gender and temperament, how their parents
are adjusting, level of support they get from their parents, living and
visitation arrangements, and the level of tension in the family
structure.
Children from divorced families react
to changes in their family, like the reduced contact with one parent, and the
need to change schools or move from their family home. In some cases, there
will be reduced standard of living, which will have on impact on schoolwork and
school attendance, as well as increased responsibilities placed upon the
children due to less availability of the custodial parent. Many children take
up to two years to adjust to divorce situations, with some taking longer, and
others failing to overcome the challenges, even into adulthood.
The
Effects of Divorce on Children at Different Ages
Children aged between 0 and 3 years
have little understanding, if any, about the divorce, and often adjust easily
with the provision of a stable, warm and predictable home environment.
Preschoolers, aged between 3 and 6 years, on the other hand, are very
self-centered or emotionally needy. They have a strict sense of right and
wrong, and therefore, tend to blame themselves when things go wrong. They deny
reality, and in some cases, revert to baby behaviors like temper tantrums,
bedwetting, and thumb-sucking. Considering their level of comprehension and
confusion, it is important
for divorced parents to talk to them about the current situation, and
reaffirm to them that they are not to blame.
School-age children react in a
different manner. They are not in denial anymore, and instead, view things in
black and white. They tend to blame one parent for the divorce. Children aged
6-9 tend to cry a lot and experience problems with friends and school, while
the tweens (10-12) react with anger by being resentful of their parent’s
decision to divorce. Their embarrassment with the divorce forces them to avoid
standing out among their peers, and they also tend to worry about how their
parents are handling the situation.
Adolescents have a better understanding
of the circumstances, which enables them to adjust better. Nonetheless, studies
suggest that teenage girls become anxious and withdrawn, and tend to become
sexually active earlier than those from intact families. Boys, on the other
hand, may become aggressive and disobedient, but adjust
better when their custodial parent remarries.
A study on adult children of divorced
parents revealed that parental divorce has a negative impact on their life
course, marked by less education, more behavioral problems, lower psychological
wellbeing, lower standard of living, lower job status, and lower marital
status, compared to those raised in intact two-parent families.
On the positive side, studies show that
maintaining the child’s relationship with his or her parents after a divorce is
beneficial in the child’s adjustment and development. While the distress of not
having both parents cannot be eliminated, a Michigan divorce attorney can help
to establish a continuing relationship that will help them in their long-term
adjustment.
Learn more about the divorce process by
contacting Femminineo Attorneys
in Mt. Clemens, MI, for your free initial consultation.
Femminineo Attorneys
Michigan Divorce Help
110 S Main St #200
Mt Clemens, MI 48043
United States
(586) 954-9500
http://www.michigandivorcehelp.com/
Michigan Divorce Help
110 S Main St #200
Mt Clemens, MI 48043
United States
(586) 954-9500
http://www.michigandivorcehelp.com/
