Children of Divorce
Divorce hurts
the whole family!
Each year, thousands of children are affected by
separation or divorce.
Examples of what children have drawn when asked
“What does divorce feel like?”
Children’s reactions vary, depending mostly on:
the situation prior to the family separation,
the amount of involvement with each parent,
the parents’ ease in adjusting and coping,
the degree of post-divorce conflict between parents,
parenting skills/styles of both parents,
approval and love from both parents,
age/stage of child development.
MOST COMMON EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN by age/stage:
Toddlers: irritability, withdrawal, regressive behaviors, clinging, whining, crying, sleeping problems, biting, fear of abandonment
Preschoolers: regressive behaviors, fear, confusion, guilt, aggression, nightmares, grief, uncertainty, fantasies – fear of losing residential parent as well
Elementary school: grief (yearning for lost parent), anger suppression/exaggeration, reunion fantasies, headaches, sense of rejection by parent who left, stomachaches, worries about future, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite/overeating, school problems begin : difficulty focusing, poor attention span, inappropriate behavior in class, aggression/withdrawal socially
Pre-teens: hide/deny feelings, try to undo the divorce, anger, refusal to communicate, acting out, extreme behaviors (good/bad), moralistic/high-risk behavior, depression, loyalty issues, relationship problems
Teens: anger, stress, fear of future, challenge/take control, highly verbal or non-communicative, negative view of parent(s), judgmental of parents, loyalty issues, financial concerns, conflicting emotions, questioning relationships/marriage itself – mistrust
DivorceSmarts for KIDS…
is the perfect compliment to your coaching through separation or divorce.
The program was designed to help children:
work through their emotional adjustment and healing;
reach a better understanding and acceptance of their family situation;
increase self-esteem, emotional well-being and enhance positive perception of self; and
develop healthy anger management, coping, problem-solving, and communication skills.
The DivorceSmarts for KIDS program will help minimize and eliminate the short- and long-term negative effects of divorce on a child’s schoolwork, relationships, and emotional well-being. Similar to play therapy, the children take part in ‘play & talk’ sessions that provide them with an opportunity to work through issues that may otherwise be (and remain) over-whelming, misunderstood, or left unanswered.
Divorce is a very touchy subject and studies have already proven that your kids suffer a lot more than their parents and they are the victims here. Divorce leaves a very negative and big impact on your children and that is a proven fact. With this in mind, parents who are at the verge of a divorce, should not only think about how they are going to solve their issues but, they should start developing an early strategy just in case that the worst happens. If you have to go through it, leave your kids out of it as much as possible. For some kids, this is just a phase in their lives, for others, it is a complete end of the world. Both parents, starting from the husbands and fathers, should do everything within their power to ensure that the marriage preserves and lasts but, if this is not possible, then actions should be taken in order to protect the younglings from what is to come. It is already hard enough for them growing up. They should have their immaculate piece while maturing.
The children begin THEIR healing,
and emerge with a renewed sense of confidence,
hope and resilience
… which then reduces the risk of future
(social, emotional, behavioral) problems.
Helping children not only survive or cope,
but also to thrive,
despite the pain & upheaval of divorce
Register your child today!
You have my personal promise that
rates for children will always remain affordable.
Register your child for only $25. an hour
While your child attends sessions,
at least one parent is expected to attend coaching sessions to
Develop a healthy co-parenting relationship