Signs Your Children May Be Struggling With Your Divorce

Knowing When Your Children Need Help

It should be no surprise that divorce and a parent moving out is difficult for a child to process. Despite making a move that may have been best for you and your children, they may ultimately have a harder time with the change than you may realize. Thankfully, there are several signs you can look out for to know if your child may be struggling with the divorce.

Depression

Situations such as divorce can cause obvious feelings of sadness, and these feelings are not just limited to those getting the divorce. It’s not uncommon for children to struggle with depression and accompanying feelings of hopelessness and insecurity.

While depression is primarily something that happens mentally and emotionally, physical symptoms can occur simultaneously. Common signs of depression include feeling tired more often than usual or a lack of interest in normally enjoyed activities. Pay attention to these types of signs to know if something bigger may be going on within your children.

Anger

On the other end of the emotional spectrum is anger, and this anger can manifest itself in various outbursts in children. You might notice, for example, that your children argue with you more often or that they seem as if they are shorter with you when responding to you. They may be struggling with anger toward the divorce or even your actions.

You might not be the only recipient of their anger, however. A child can take their anger out in school and act out in ways that might not be common compared to their normal behavior. They may talk out of turn more or bully other children, and these actions might be tied to their feelings about the divorce.

Anxiety

A child going through a divorce may begin to worry more often about issues they didn’t have to worry about before, such as where they will live or who will be providing for their needs. These symptoms of anxiety show themselves more often because of feelings of insecurity after the divorce. Note if your child begins to ask questions about the future and what might happen to them, they may be having a hard time processing the divorce.

Help Your Children

If you detect these signs in your child, it’s important to sit down with them and ask them about how they’re feeling. Let them be open and honest about their emotions and express their thoughts; in doing so, they will learn to trust you more, which can help them process the divorce. It might be helpful to pursue additional resources such as counseling or therapy.

Divorce can be challenging for both you and your children, so it’s important to seek legal representation to give you peace of mind throughout the process. At Law Office of Mark M. Childress, we are committed to helping families start their next chapter and relieving the stress they are feeling.

To schedule a consultation with a member of our team, call us at (817) 497-8148 or visit us online.