Warning Signs Associated With Divorce
Expect that a child’s adjustment to divorce could take a while. Some emotional or behavioral reactions can last for months or even a year or more while other reactions are more temporary.
Infants and children: This age group may display problems in sleeping, eating patterns or fussiness. If these problems continue for an extended period of time or worsen seek help from a professional childcare expert. If reactions in young school age children continue past six months or worsen, seek out school based or professional services for assistance.
Preteens: Peer difficulties, depression, anger, loneliness, learning problems or physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches often indicate complications in adjusting to divorce. If these symptoms continue for an extended period seek professional help.
Teens: Reactions in this age group may include depression, moodiness, poor school performance, acting out, alcohol or drug use, running away from home, sexual activity or chronic oppositional behavior. These can be serious problems that will indicate the need for outside help.
Adults: Recent studies indicate adults struggle with their parents divorce into the second and third decades of life. Studies also indicate adult children of divorced parents experience mental health problems more often than adult children of intact families. As adults, children of divorce are half as likely to be close to their parents relationally as children of intact families. Unresolved issues are indicators that adults might benefit from professional counseling. “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” ~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family