Common Issues for Children of Divorce

Divorce is not easy for anyone involved, but it can present particular hardships for the children of a failed marriage.

A clear sense of how children react to a divorce may help parents better help their children through the process and secure better long-term outcomes. Parents should be aware of these issues, and try to follow these guidelines:

• Respect the relationship. Just because partners may divorce doesn’t mean that a child is divorcing a parent, even an absent one. Respecting their desire to maintain a strong relationship with their mom or dad — for whom there is no replacement — will help your child deal with the aftermath of divorce.
• Let kids be kids. Sometimes children will try to fill in the holes left by divorce, such as attempting to solve a parent’s loneliness or taking on an authoritative role over younger siblings. Even though kids are trying to help, they need to be encouraged to attend to their own needs, interests and personal development rather than take on undue responsibilities.
• Keep kids out of the middle. Parents need to be especially vigilant to avoid putting their children in the middle of conflicts between parents. Sometimes children try on their own to smooth the relationship between them, but they shouldn’t have to shoulder that responsibility or have their loyalty pulled in opposite directions.
• Stay strong. Many times parents will act out of guilt and go easy on their children after a divorce, understanding the difficulties it creates in their lives. Parents need to resist the temptation to be too soft and still discipline their children in appropriate ways.

Taking care of the children is a priority in any divorce, so if you could use sound assistance, reach out to Long Island child custody lawyers at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates today.