Irreconcilable Differences: 6 Effects Of Divorce On Children

A husband and a wife separating are not the only ones being affected by divorce. There are also some untoward effects of divorce on children of the couple breaking up.

Focus On The Family posted some of the ways divorce affects the kids. Hopefully, these findings can help people choose their spouse more carefully as they  encourage married couples to work through their differences and problems.

1. Divorce shatters children's sense of safety and security.

Whether parents like it or not, their children perceive them as competent adults who can provide their family's needs and are capable of solving family problems. These beliefs give a sense of safety and security to kids. When parents decide to divorce, children's lives, beliefs and perceptions are turned upside down.

2.  Divorce might contribute to poor academic performance of kids.

Studies have shown that many children with divorced parents have poorer school performance compared to kids with both parents together. They are also more likely to have behavioral problems and drop out from school.

3. Divorce linked to kids' criminal behavior in the future.

"Kids whose parents divorce are substantially more likely to be incarcerated for committing a crime as a juvenile," the article shared. This might be a result of the resentment many children feel towards their divorced parents.

It might also be a cry for attention from their parents. Teens with divorced parents are more at risk for drug abuse, alcoholism and practice of unsafe sex.

4. Kids of divorced parents are more likely to live in poverty.

Getting a divorce can be financially damaging to both parties. The family's income is also split after a divorce which increases the risk of poverty for their children.

5. Children of divorced parents get sick more frequently.

This phenomenon might be caused by loneliness, decreased levels of attention and care from parents and decrease in financial stability. These kids are also found to recover more slowly compared to children from unbroken families.

6. Kids of divorced parents are more likely to experience divorce in the future.

One of the effects of divorce on children is that they will be more at risk of getting divorced when they get married in the future. "How conflict is managed and how quick parents' get angry seems to have an especially powerful influence on children's own skills in dealing with others," Huffington Post shared.