Why Divorce is Sometimes Good for Children
Parents and mental health professionals might believe divorce consistently has a damaging emotional impact on kids. However, when youths are exposed to regular conflict between their parents, divorce might be a better choice for couples than remaining together and continually exposing kids to ongoing conflict.
According to our experts on marriage counseling in Winter Park, living in the same house can be highly stressful for parents who may otherwise consider divorce but work hard to keep their family together and fulfill financial responsibilities. Unfortunately, the result of this stress often contributes to regular conflict between the parents, and when children encounter this friction and pressure, they become stressed themselves. The regular conflict that happens while the family lives together becomes normal for children, who measure the confrontation and tension, and their conduct often mirrors what they feel.
How chronic conflict affects children
Children who experience sorrow due to regular conflict between parents may be affected negatively in many ways. As they mature, they may lack role models for beneficial relationships. When parents place all of their energy into the friction between them, their relationship with their kids and their ability to parent may be influenced. If conflict is especially severe or explosive, children may discover and model a lack of respect for others. Frequently, children also find it challenging to trust others or have faith in beneficial, favorable connections, and these results may influence their adult connections.
Children do better when their parents are content and feel physically and mentally okay. Unfortunately, sometimes discovering this well-being and satisfaction demands terminating the marriage or partnership.
When parents project their negative energy produced by regular conflict, children are more prone to feel like they need to take sides. As a result, they often soak up the negative energy cast by fighting and arguing. Therefore, they are in a position to deal with adult problems they shouldn't be dealing with. Separation of their parents often relieves the tension at the root of the regular conflict. When parents divorce or separate, the children and the entire family can make changes and adjustments, but the pressures of daily living under one roof are usually relieved, and connections among family members can improve.
Factors that determine how children will adjust
Parents who model favorable relationship behaviors, including terminating unhealthy, toxic partnerships, show their kids everyone deserves to have happy and healthy relationships. In addition, they can help their kids learn to make comparable choices by not settling for less themselves.
Various factors usually determine how well kids will adjust to divorce, including:
- The quality of the relationship kids have with each parent before the divorce.
- The period the regular conflict has happened and the intensity of the conflict
- The capacity of parents to prioritize the children's needs during the divorce.
The conflict and the quality of communication between divorced parents is the most significant factor specifying how well kids will adjust to the divorce. The custodial parent's attitude toward the other usually significantly impacts the amount and quality of time they spend with their kids after divorce. When one parent openly displays a hostile attitude toward the other, the likelihood of that parent withdrawing from the children's lives increases. If this occurs, the kids will likely experience adverse emotional consequences.
These are some reasons that divorce is sometimes better for kids than their parents staying together. Contact us today for marriage counseling in Winter Park. We want to help you have the best marriage possible!
