Parents who are involved in a divorce with conflict are going to have a very hard time of
understanding exactly how their young children truly are feeling. That is not necessarily the
case when parents have teenage children.
Teenagers do not exist to please their parents. They have
their own identities, their own wants and needs. Parents
are shocked that their teenagers now have become
distant or seem consumed with nothing but hate.
The way we see it, many children, regardless of their age,
are going to be angry when their parent’s divorce. Many children, regardless of age, are going
to feel sad and hopeless. Divorce is a life altering event that is hard to understand and
comprehend. Kids need to know that they have the ability to express themselves. Kids need
their parents help to become resilient in the face of the sudden changes that the divorce has
caused.
If children are not allowed to transition through the divorce process they will have
problems. In the short term it might mean uncontrolled outbursts of anger. In the long term
the child may face depression, anxiety or even worse.
So when you see that child's smiling face, dig a little deeper. Don't just ask,
interact. You know you are going through a major change in your life, know that your kids
are too. For more information, visit us at www.kidsfirstparentssecond.org.