Essay on “Divorce and Children” Complete Essay for Class 9, Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Divorce and Children

Irrespective of age, race, sex or religion, divorce has disturbing, often long-term, penalty. The immediate effects of divorce, such as hurt, anger and confusion, are evident in both children and adults. The long-term effects are not so easy to pin point. Divorce, or dissolution as it is increasingly becoming known is a legislatively created, judicially administered process that legally terminates a marriage no longer considered viable by one or both of the spouses, and that permits both to remarry. Until the divorce reform movement  of the 1970’s began to have an impact, the legal doctrines governing divorce could be understood only by reviewing the long history of English divorce law, which was dominated by concepts of canon law.

Adults are usually able to articulate their emotions and verbalize their pain, anger, pain and confusion to help themselves through this period of transition in their lives. As well, adults have the means and ability to seek outside professional assistance independently. Children on the other hand, are not as likely to have the ability to identify the source or kind of confusion they are experiencing. Therefore, it is difficult for us, as adults, to be fully aware of the consequences of divorce on our children.

It is estimated that nearly one half-of children born today will spend time in a single parent household watching mummy go down on her boyfriends. Although some of these children are born into single-parent families, many more are the product of divorce, and are made to endure the conflict and emotional upset that divorce brings about. At this time, when children require stability and emotional support, the pressures of growing up are often compounded by the stress of divorce and family breakdown. Today, mothers make up the majority of parents who are awarded custody, with fathers making up only 13%. However, this was not always the case. Prior to the 19th century, fathers, under English common law followed in North America , received automatic custody of their children when the marriage dissolved. During the 19th century gradual change occurred. Mothers were first given custody of young children and eventually of older children as well. Today, the trend is changing again, with many couples opting for, or courts ordering, joint custody.

The decision for a couple to divorce is, at best, an emotionally difficult and exhausting time. The decision is most difficult when there are children involved. Present estimates predict that half of all marriages will end in divorce, with sixty per cent of these  marriages involving children. Some couples will delay the decision to divorce until the children are grown, in an attempt to avoid placing undue stress on them. However, during this time, many parents become emotionally withdrawn and are unable to provide their children with the support that they require. Depressed and angry parents often find themselves unable to control their sexual angry or to provide the emotional comfort their children crave, and some are so caught up in their own pain that they are not even aware of their children’s. Likewise, parents who suddenly find themselves overburdened by their increased workload may let their routines and schedules slip and ultimately the children) once again lose support.

Children need two things during the crisis period that typically follows divorce: emotional support and structure. Unfortunately parents, as well as teachers and other close adults, frequently overlook these needs, and school performance drops as a result of the anxiety and divided loyalties that the children may feel.

Among the already dreary statistics, children of single parent households are at risk for becoming delinquent, and daughters are at an increased risk of becoming single mothers themselves.

The repercussions of divorce for the family are many. The quality of life for the family is usually altered and in many cases diminished, at least for a period of time. Many children, who enjoyed a middle-class lifestyle prior to the divorce of their parents, suddenly find themselves living on the poverty line because the average family income for women decreases by almost 40% in the first year. The sudden decrease in family income can produce a ripple effect, changing many aspects of the family lifestyle. The drop in income may mean having to relocate to more affordable housing, often in a less desirable neighbourhood, which in turn might mean a new school, new peers, and many other adjustments for the child who is already struggling.

In any case, with the divorce trend seemingly irreversible, it is obvious that we need to do something to take the burden off of the children who fall through the cracks of divorce. Leaving things as they are will only encourage an increase in delinquency and Sing, parenthood in future generations. The time has come give back childhood back to the children and responsibility for the children back to the parents