By | 2019-07-16

Divorce hurts. It hurts the parties tearing their lives in two. It hurts families that are forced to take sides. It hurts friends that must choose who to believe. But most of all, divorce hurts children. It does not matter if the child is small, mid years, or grown, divorce hurts.

Tiny Children

Any  tampa divorce lawyer can tell you that growing up with only one parent is thought to leave emotional trauma on developmental age children. As one parent struggles to get life back to normal, find a balance between work and home, and spend enough time with the tiny child that needs constant attention, the emotional battle can be difficult – and the baby often loses.

Young Children

Moving between two homes can be tough for young children. They often worry that the parent they are not with will stop loving them. This can be especially true when remarriage and step children are involved. The children may even believe the divorce is due to something they said or did to make one of the parents leave.

Teen Children

As if the teen years are not filled with enough angst, when divorce becomes an issue the once sullen child can redirect their anger and focus blame on one or both parents. This can lead to dissociation, resentment, and running away. If the anger is deep-seated enough, the teen may turn to self-harm to deflect the pain.

Adult Children

When parents have been married for many years, and the adult child can view his or her parent’s relationship idealistically. When the marriage falls apart, the rock at the base of the adult child’s world can crack. Parents may also confide in their adult children, trying to make the other spouse look guilty or responsible for the divorce. This can shatter the child’s world even further.

Children of all ages hurt when parents divorce. The emotional scars and inner struggle are real – no matter the age.