effects of divorce on children
...healing heart. As children we need love and self-assurance from both a father and a mother. The continuous sense of being valued and loved seems to be an especially key element. Some of the most noticeable effects of divorce are immediate. The fact that one parent is now doing all of the work is a tough burden to carry. The custodial parent becomes distressed, overburdened, and less supportive. The one parent, (usually the mother) becomes more inconsistent in the disciplining and household routines. This leads to irregular meals and bed times. Academic achievement is also a challenge for children of divorce. They show early signs of disengagement from school; truancy rate increases. Overall they have a negative attitude towards class and teachers in general. Less monitoring of schoolwork and social activities by the one parent, (as compared to an intact family) results in lower educational expectations for themselves as well as non existent social activities. Now what about relationships later on in life with children that came from a broken home? Adult children of divorce are less optimistic about their own future success with marriage. This can also lead to less trust in their future spouse. Children of divorce, in unhappy marriages, are more likely to have straining patterns of communication with their spouse. The long term effects of divorce on children are permanent. Children experience high levels of problem behavior, increase likelihood of dropping out of school, and psychological trauma. The young...