Children and Divorce | Teen Ink

Children and Divorce

May 14, 2016
By jaimelynn134 BRONZE, Reno, Nevada
jaimelynn134 BRONZE, Reno, Nevada
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

According to the American Psychological Association 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States end up divorced. Therefore I believe that divorce in families with children should be avoided until all the children in the house are 18. This is if and only if the conditions in the house are somewhat stable for the children to live in. This helps the kids stuck in the relationship. It helps them to find and live on a middle ground that often isn’t found when the parents get divorced.

Kids tend to receive the most stress from divorces and breakups and they will become more likely to follow in their parent’s footsteps. They will pick up the wrong ideas and the bad habits too. It has been proven that kids who go through the process of their parents getting divorced are likely to turn to divorce at some point in their lives (Children and Divorce). “Children and Divorce” also claims that young children tend to end up blaming themselves for being the reason their parents end up splitting. These young children develop the idea that they are worthless and a nuisance, causing them to be in a depressed and stressed state. “Children are not amused when their parents’ divorce. Kids and divorce is a sad combination. When the parents have been fighting all the time, it is obvious for the kids that their parent were not happy together. The children may feel relieved when the announcement comes, but usually they end up with mixed feelings. They may be happy that the fighting ends, but their world falls apart.” – Children and Divorce.

Divorce heavily impacts the schedules of the children thrown into the middle of the issue. The kids can and sometimes are used as a bargaining chip in the process. For example one parent may give up their time with the children for possession of another item. “Children and Divorce” provides the fact that mothers are 2/3 more likely to end up with a longer time of custody than the father is, and this is if the father choose to stick around and have a relationship with his children. Kids caught in divorce face the issue of split time, broken relationships with family and will witness hatred (most of the time) between their parents.

Even though divorce is very stressful and inconvenient for the children, it can also bring a peace to the/a situation. Divorce can help bring freedom and creates an escape from a miserable or unhappy and broken life. It also helps to take the kids away from a bad environment of yelling, fighting and tears. The divorce helps to teach the kids that it is okay because things won’t always work out, and that they aren’t always meant to.

Therefore, because the effects divorce has on the children, parents should bare through the relationship till all the kids have at least reached the age of eighteen or have moved out of the house before they get a divorce. Instead of forcing their children to go through the stress and challenges divorce brings, they should be allowed the chance to have a somewhat normal family. They shouldn’t be denied the right of a normal family just because their parents made all the wrong mistakes. The parents should take responsibility over their actions and try to keep things peaceful. But this is if and only if the situation at home is somewhat stable.


Resources:
"Marriage and Divorce." Marriage and Divorce. American Psychological Association, 11 Apr. 2016. Web. 06 May 2016.

"Children and Divorce: Information, Tips and Real Life Stories for Divorced Parents." Children and Divorce: Information, Tips and Real Life Stories for Divorced Parents. Children and Divorce, 2013. Web. 06 May 2016.


The author's comments:

My parents divorced (my mom for the second time) when I was 7, so this is something that hits close to home for me.


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