Do you know what it takes to emerge from a divorce with your mental health (relatively) intact? It takes intense concentration, attention to small details, patience, time, strength and more.
You must focus on your end goals when protecting your property and custody rights during a divorce. All this mental work leads to stress in divorcing parents, but don’t forget that your kids may also feel stressed out.
Divorce affects everyone in the family
Ending a marriage can take a toll on all family members, including normally resilient children. Parents can lose sight of that when navigating the emotional issues inherent to divorce.
When parents constantly fight over child-related issues, they risk overtaxing their children’s coping skills. The kids may think the break-up is all their fault — potentially increasing their stress levels.
Signs of divorce stress in children
If you want to ensure your kids get as healthy a start as possible on their post-divorce lives, look for the following signs of divorce-related stress. These will vary by age and can include the following:
- Babies and toddlers: Sleep problems, clinginess, tantrums and loss of learned skills (regression)
- Kids under eight: Guilt, self-blame, regression, sleep anxiety, pervasive sadness and poor impulse control
- Nine to 12 years: Intense anger, shame, increased fears and illness
- Adolescents: Chronic tiredness, fears of abandonment, survival fears or concerns, trouble concentrating and pervasive feelings of loss
The early detection of stress, depression and other psychological issues in your children empowers you to get them the help they need. It can also help you and your co-parent create a Florida custody and time-sharing schedule that preserves your kids’ mental and emotional health.
