No one expects a divorce to occur in a household relationship. However, if divorce is indeed the only way for the couple, it is difficult for the other party to forbid it. However, this divorce certainly has an impact on the family, especially children. Parents are not entirely at fault when a divorce occurs. Because not everyone can compromise with partner incompatibility. However, the feeling of guilt towards children must be felt by divorced parents. The following are the long-term effects of parental divorce on children:
1. Experiencing excessive anxiety and depression
If parents do not provide well-being for their children, especially during and after the divorce process, the long-term mental and emotional health of the child may be compromised, which can even lead to feelings of excessive anxiety and depression. When parents argue in front of their child, taking out their hurt or anger towards their spouse on their child, the child may blame himself or herself for the divorce. In fact, children feel under pressure to decide who is actually at fault between the two parents.
2. It’s hard to live a healthy relationship
A child of divorced parents will struggle to find or maintain healthy relationships as an adult. However, feelings such as fear of abandonment, failure, and loss can affect a young adult’s romantic relationships and result in a reluctance to commit, or an inability to cope.
3. Set a positive example
Not all effects of long-term divorce on children are negative. Ending an unhappy marriage can give children a more positive attitude toward marriage. Maintaining a marriage that lacks love, respect, and happiness only makes children feel that marriage is something to be avoided or cannot be trusted. Divorce can teach a child what marriage should be and what is appropriate in an adult relationship.
4. Fostering a healthy relationship between parents and children
In some cases divorce is the best option for a child. A parent’s divorce may be more desirable for a child than for him to grow up in an unhappy home. Living with parents who are often angry and look miserable, who are always fighting and don’t respect each other will only stress him out.