It is apparent that at long last, there are programs directed at helping the children whose lives have been rocked by divorce. Until very recently, a mother had only two choices to help her children. One was to go to the schools and advise teachers or guidance counselors and hope that they can help in someway. The other was to find a therapist for the affected children.
One of the many mistakes that parents who are divorcing make is to misread their children’s emotional health. Trust me on this one. All children without exception, are affected by the split up of their parents and the breaking up of their family.
You may notice some very obvious changes in your child or children. The following are a few of the possible reactions that children may display.
- Their grades may drop.
- Their friends may change.
- They may begin to act out.
- They may become depressed.
- They may become sickly.
- They may lose interest in activities that were previously important to them.
Often however, children do not show any obvious signs of the toll that divorce is playing on them. It is extremely important that you make a mental note of the subtle changes you see in your children. Do not ignore anything because these signs are often just the tip of the iceberg.
Remember that children frequently blame themselves for their parent’s divorce. Thankfully, now there are programs in the U.S. and many countries outside of the U.S. that offer divorce care for children. Different agendas are offered to children depending on their ages and their circumstances.
They may include group discussions, movies about what can occur during a divorce process, games and role playing. Various subjects can be presented, such as anger management, loneliness, communication, fear sadness, blame and guilt.
Please do some homework on the resources near you.
What can you share about what your kids have gone through. It might really help some other mom and child.
Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography
