The Impact of Divorce on Children

Divorce’s impact on children is not something that should be overlooked. While you may have your issues with your spouse, that person is still a part of your child’s life. When that life is interrupted, the child is thrust into a new situation that he or she may not be able to handle. The issues that might be faced are not just psychological – they can also be academic and physical.

Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children

A divorce can be quite the trauma for a child. Take a moment to think about how the divorce might be impacting you psychologically. You might be depressed, angry, panicking – any of these things might be part of your daily life. Now imagine that these feelings were completely uncommon and that you had no useful coping mechanism or outlet. This is the life of a child who is going through the divorce. He or she may be in a state of constant anxiety due to change, or may even experience the fear of being the cause of the divorce. Out team of Toronto family lawyers are here to help you every step of the way.

Physical Impact of Divorce on Children

Those psychological changes can actually turn into physical harm for some children. Because children have not yet developed healthy coping mechanisms, many turn to behaviors that can cause physical harms. Issues like eating disorders or self-harm are common among those children who live in high-stress situations but have no safe outlet. Even if the child does not experience these extreme behaviors, he or she may still deal with issues like a weak appetite or a lack of sleep, which in turn might lead to a weaker immune system and leave the child more susceptible to illness.

Academic Changes in Children of Divorce

Divorce has also been shown to cause severe academic harm in many children. Ask any of our divorce lawyers in Toronto and they will tell you just how true this is. Studies have shown that children of parents who are going through divorce tend to do significantly worse in areas like math, largely due to higher levels of anxiety and a lack of concentration. Coupled with the poor mental performance is a sharp drop-off in social skills, which can often make it difficult for the child to participate in group settings or for him or her to work with others in class.

If you are concerned about your child’s well-being, your best choice is to make the process of divorce as easy on the child as possible. While you cannot control the actions of your ex, you can control what you choose to do. Refusing to speak ill of the other party or to use your child as a bargaining chip can help your child maintain normalcy in his or her life. In fact, making use of tools that eliminate conflict like mediation can often help to reduce the impact of divorce on children.