Divorce As Cherlin Points Out Essay

Few people would say that divorce helps children except in cases of abuse. Divorce can create tremendous confusion in children of any age. One of the keys to preventing psychological, behavioral, or social problems is honesty. A non-profit group called Health Guide offers advice for parents going through a divorce. The organization recommends honesty and communication as keys to helping children cope and preventing mental or behavioral health problems. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry also recommends age-appropriate honesty and openness. The Health Guide also points out that many children "go through their parents' divorce with relatively few problems or permanent negative effects." Those children who experience acute stress require special care and attention.

Depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, and a lack of interest in those things that used to give the child pleasure are some of the psychological symptoms of childhood stress. A divorce could add to existing anxiety or cause it. Divorce creates dramatic changes to the child's lifestyle, especially if household income suddenly declines because of the loss of one parent. Children are affected on many levels when their parents get divorced. Not only do they lose the stability they once enjoyed or took for granted. Children also miss out on material pleasures their friends have, and their social lives may suffer as a result.

Physical ailments are another possible consequence of childhood stress that is caused or exacerbated by divorce. Changes in eating habits, eating disorders, or psychosomatic ailments all become possible. Parents need to pay attention to signs of such problems and pay attention when their children complain of physical discomfort. If a child's energy level, participation in sports, or eating habits change radically then parents might need to seek help immediately to prevent the problem from getting out of hand.

Children and adolescents might already be struggling with peer pressure, the desire to fit in at school, or disruptions in their social environments. A divorce can seriously worsen the effects of regular childhood social stress because in many cases the child has to move away from his or her friends. A divorce often entails one parent moving to a different city or even a different country. Children and adolescents who already have trouble socially might develop serious behavioral problems. The need to find a stable identity is especially important for adolescents, so parents going through divorce should minimize the possibility of uprooting their children.

Regardless of whether or not divorce is a primary cause for childhood psychological or social problems, and regardless of whether divorce is one of many possible causes of problems, children who live through their parents getting a divorce will feel some stress. When stress is not dealt with properly it can lead to physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social problems. Children whose parents are going through a divorce therefore need extra attention and care. Exercise, good eating habits, and solid communication between the child and his or her parents are all essential. As much as possible, children and teens need to feel loved and supported during troubled times.

References

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "Children and Divorce." May 2008. Retrieved Oct 14, 2008 at http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/children_and_divorce

Cherlin, Andrew J. "Generation Ex." The Nation. Nov 27, 2000. Retrieved Oct 14, 2008 at http://www.thenation.com/doc/20001211/cherlin

Gallagher, Maggie. "The Divorce Thing." National Review Online. Aug 13, 2003. Retrieved Oct 14, 2008 at http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-gallagher081303.asp

Help Guide.org. "Coping with Divorce." Retrieved Oct 14, 2008 at http://www.helpguide.org/mental/children_divorce.htm

Leon, Kim and Cole, Kelly. "Helping Children Understand Divorce." University of Missouri Extension. Retrieve Oct 14, 2008 at http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/humanrel/gh6600.htm

Pollitt, Katha. Cited by Blankenhorn, David in "Divorce, American Style." In the Nation. Retrieved Oct 14, 2008 at http://www.thenation.com/doc/20001204/letter