| It is not possible to scientifically measure the effects of | | | | touch on practically every area of a child's life. |
| divorce on children, because once the divorce happens | | | | To further examine the effects of divorce on children, |
| there is only one set of data - the way the child reacts | | | | we must look at the big picture of how divorce |
| after the divorce. There is no way of knowing how | | | | affects anyone. Even when the divorce is worked out |
| the child would have reacted if the divorce never | | | | under the most civil of terms (which is sadly |
| happened, so there is essentially no data to compare. | | | | uncommon), there are still powerful underlying issues |
| Even though we have no comparative information, it is | | | | involving rejection, failure and fear. |
| common knowledge that divorce certainly affects the | | | | Children, especially during their developmental years, will |
| children of divorced parents. Just ask anyone who is | | | | have a difficult time dealing with the rejection of having |
| the product of a divorce, and they will tell you that they | | | | a parent leave. This can happen despite the best |
| know first hand about the effects of divorce on | | | | efforts of both parents to tell the child the divorce had |
| children. Unfortunately, divorce is more common and | | | | nothing to do with them. It has to do with security, and |
| acceptable than ever these days, and this may cause | | | | the fact that the basics of life as the child has always |
| some desensitization to the truth about how divorce | | | | known it have been torn in two. It may sound dramatic, |
| affects the kids. | | | | but this is how divorce feels to a child. And because |
| To begin with, a divorce is between two married | | | | they are so young, it may be very difficult for them to |
| adults, so the kids are not intimately involved in | | | | express and absorb these feelings. That is why it is |
| whatever has caused the marriage to break up. If | | | | common for children to become more withdrawn after |
| those adults are parents, however, they are | | | | their parents get divorced. |
| automatically divorcing their kids as well - no matter | | | | This can have a detrimental effect on the child's future |
| how often they see them, how much they try to keep | | | | relationships because they have had to learn at an |
| things "normal" and how many times the parents tell | | | | early age that they cannot always trust the people |
| the kids they love them. Even though the problems | | | | they are supposed to be able to trust. It is a sad truth, |
| may have no direct correlation to the children, the | | | | and should be addressed frequently and honestly |
| parent who leaves their spouse also leaves their kids. | | | | whenever children are the victims of divorce. |
| And no one can deny that losing a parent is bound to | | | | |