Divorce is a traumatic experience for both partners and especially for the children. Not all children are affected in exactly the same way.

Personality, age, and how you interact with your partner and children about the divorce are all factors.

Some of the emotional effects of divorce on a child are:

1.) They will often experience anxieties about how their world will change as a result of the divorce such as where will they live, what schools will they attend, etc.. This leaves them feeling anxious about the world and about what the future holds for them.

2.) They will feel a sense of loss of better times that will never come back. A time of belonging to a complete family that is lost forever. They will miss the comfort and security of having a mother and a father. This sense of loss can sometimes deepen into sadness and depression.

3.) Children are self centered in that they believe that the world is centered around them. Therefore, they may come to believe that they are somehow at fault for the break up.

4.) If the reason for the divorce isn’t apparent, they may become angry at their parents for doing something that makes little sense to them.

5.) They may feel overwhelmed with the stress of too many changes forced on them. In addition to the obvious changes of the separation of their parents, changes such as living in a different environment or new chores that they must assume will add to their stress levels.

Children suffering from the emotional trauma of divorce will often display some of the following symptoms:

1.) Rebellion against doing normal routines and activities as well as rebellion against their elders.

2.) Dramatic changes in their eating habits.

3.) Sudden weight loss or weight gain.

4.) An increase in crying, stomach aches and head aches.

5.) Insomnia

6.) Walling themselves off by becoming secretive and less conversational than before.

7.) Significant drop off in their grades at school.

8.) An increase in disciplinary problems in school.

If your child is exhibiting some of the above behaviors, then counseling is recommended.

Little known divorce tactics and strategies – See Men’s Divorce Tactics.