Divorce has an impact on everyone in the family. While remaining in a hostile marriage for the sake of your children tends to do more damage than good, you should also expect that a divorce will impact your kids negatively at first. Children of different ages and personalities have different ways of coping with a marital split. To prepare yourself for the reaction, you need to understand what to expect.
According to Healthline, there are several warning signs to look out for when making yourself available to your kids.
Clear behavioral changes
Sometimes children do not outright tell you how they feel. Instead, you notice the changes in their behavior. For example, some kids may become more withdrawn and spend less time with their friends. They may show a lack of confidence or stop excelling at school. While you may notice a drop in grades for kids of any age, teenagers struggle the most with academics after a divorce.
Manifestations of fear and anxiety
Young children and toddlers may show signs of separation anxiety. Keep in mind that kids go from having both parents to only one at a time. They may become clingy or ask about the other parent often. Some kids begin to regress and throw tantrums more often than they did before. Help your child feel comfortable by giving reassurance and consistency.
To help your children cope, you have to be able to accept their feelings. Kids of varying ages may not understand how to deal with complex emotions and require stability to deal with them correctly.
