The Effect of Divorce on Children's Learning and Behavior

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The Effect of Divorce on Children's Learning and Behavior

The effect of divorce on children?s learning and behavior is a major problem in today's society. Everyday, children everywhere deal with this issue. Nowhere is this displayed more prevalently than in our schools. Divorce hurts children more than parents realize.

By the time they turn 18, approximately fifty to sixty percent of all children in the United States have been affected by divorce (Miller, 1). Divorce-related problems (e.g., visitation, child support, parental custody) can be ongoing sources of stress to children, even up to eight years after the initial separation.

Children can be robbed of a special experience and protection called 'Family'. They move on in their lives as individuals without the understanding of what familial security and bond is. Children look out into the world and wonder why it has dealt them a cruel card in life. 'Why me' Why can?t it be Tim, the big bully. Surely he deserves it more than I do?!? (Ng, 1)

There is a world of a difference between what one experiences in a healthy family versus one that is broken. The children of a broken family often feel rejected and or responsible for his or her parent?s breakdown in their marriage. When in reality, they are not, the parents are! Even if the child was a source of stress, it is the parents responsibility to find a way to deal with it.

Besides rejection and guilt, children often feel abandoned by the two closest people in their world. It generally leaves scars that are difficult to heal. The child is left trying to understand why these two people cannot stay together and may even personalize the blame because they feel that they are not good enough to bring them back togeth...

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...and self-regulation. Possibly the most important thing we can do is act as resources for the children. We have to try to ensure the success of the child and thus shape the future of mankind.

References

Leo, John (2000). The Sleepers Effect. U.S. News & World Report v29, no.13. Miller, Paul A. and Ryan, Patti (1999). Practical Strategies for Helping Children of Divorce in Today?s Classroom. Childhood Education v75, no. 5, 285-289.

Newman, Gary. ?How Divorce Affects Children.? Family.com: Childsplay. n.d. 8 October 2000.

<http://www.family.disney.go.com/Features/family_1997_07/cdpl/cdpl177anger.html>.

Ng, Danny. ?Broken-When Parents Split.? n.d. 8 October 2000. <http://www.geocities.com:0080/HotSprings/Villa/3877/divorce.html>.

Thornburg, Hershel D. (2000). Family Boundary Ambiguity. The Journal of Early Adolescents v20, no.3, 283-286.

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