A marriage going sour can get messy, especially when kids are involved. While it can be difficult for the couple involved, their offspring often bear the brunt of the traumatic experience if there isn’t a deliberate effort to protect the little ones. The challenges these kids face in the event of a split may have lasting repercussions on them if there is no guidance or counseling. The US has about 23% of children in single-family homes and another percentage living with extended families because of divorce. These are some of the challenges these kids face.
- Poor academic performance
When the split happens, one of the first things that happen is the impact on the child’s academic performance. The emotional and mental confusion of being suddenly thrust into a single-parent home when all they’ve known is a two-parent household can be difficult to comprehend. With all the distractions going on, their school performance takes a hit.
And the more distracted children are, the more they lose focus on school and anything academic. The internal conflict may not be noticed in the early stages of the divorce. However, if you’re observant, you will notice a fall in academic performance.
- A possible hitch in college education
When a divorce occurs, child support is necessary, and it includes more than just clothes, housing, and daily care of the minor. The law mandates that the non-custodial parent pays for the child’s education or agrees to split costs with the other parent. At the college level, however, things may take a different turn, especially if the resident state is Georgia. There may be repercussions when parents fail to implement a robust financial strategy to support these kids. This is why it is vital to involve a child custody attorney in the early stages of a split.
- Guilty feelings
Sometimes, before or after social withdrawal, kids begin to harbor guilt. They may begin to entertain unhealthy thoughts like the separation or divorce was their fault. According to psychologists, these are normal reactions among children but should not be encouraged.
If these guilty feelings persist for too long, it can lead to childhood depression. In other cases, it makes the child more susceptible to stress and other health issues. In this case, it would be best to provide professional help that guides the minor into resolving guilty feelings.
- Loss of interest in social activity
Just like in academic performance, there is also a decline in social activity or interest. Research has shown that children from divorced homes tend to lose self-confidence and withdraw from society. Their lack of interest in social events may also fuel feelings of insecurity. Even worse, things that used to excite them begin to lose value or interest for them.
Their only protective mechanism becomes withdrawal and reclusiveness. This is because the divorce may make them feel like they have lost their protective net, which might be overwhelming. The solution will be to find them some help in resolving these unhealthy feelings.
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