They say children as resilient, and that is mostly true. However, when it comes to experiencing the divorce of his or her parents, a child could be greatly impacted. Whether it is a high conflict or amicable parting, a child of divorce could be affected by the process and overall change. While this could occur for any minor child living with their parents, some studies suggest that the degree of impact a divorce could have could be dependent on the age of the child.
Age kids are traumatized by divorce
While divorce could impact a child of any age, as it causes many changes in his or her life, psychologist have found that the soonest a child could have a trauma response to a divorce is three, which the peak age being around 11. At this point in time, the children would have has enough time and understanding to realize the significance of their parent’s relationship. Not only has the child developed an attachment to each parent but also to the family being a unit. Furthermore, at this age, children likely lack independence, which often results in them internalizing the breakdown of their family.
When children understand divorce
Experts have found that once a child has gone through puberty, there is a greater chance that they will not only understand a parent’s divorce but also be able to accept it. At this point, teenage children have developed an independent identity and are no longer tied to the family. Thus, the breakdown of the family unit is less traumatic.
No matter which way one looks at it, divorcing with children is not easy. It causes significant changes and adjustments. Thus, those dealing with family law issues related to their divorce should understand how best to navigate the situation and what resolutions they could reach.