Divorce on Children

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Divorce on Children

Divorce is a complicated matter for all parties involved, but it is even harder for children. There are many reasons why married couples choose to get a divorce, with some of these tied to the origins of the marriage. For example, some people get married based on unrealistic expectations of their partners, and when they realize these cannot be achieved, they resort to divorce. The United States has the highest rates of divorce in the world, with more than half of all first marriages end up in divorce. The chances for divorce increase with subsequent marriages. Children suffer the most from divorces as it affects their mental, physical and social wellbeing. The 80% rule of divorce shows some of the devastating impacts that children suffer as a result of their parents go through a divorce.

Some of the adverse effects of divorce on children from the 80% rule include delinquency, low self-esteem, mental health issues, and lower performance in school (Gustavsen et al. 479). All these consequences are the result of poverty, which is directly correlated with divorce. Divorce results in single-parent families and the majority of these single parents will be women. They will be left to bear the brunt of raising their children. Although the courts strive to come up with fair settlement terms in divorces for both parties, statistics show that women head 80 % of single-parent homes. This situation is sometimes the result of a divorce, although other times, children can be born into single-parent families for other reasons. This is the first statistic in the 80% rule that contributes to the adverse outcomes on children after a divorce. When a single parent, especially a woman is left to raise children on their own, they might find it challenging to juggle all the responsibilities such as being primary caregivers for their children and other family members and working to pay the bills. As their mothers are busy with all of the new responsibilities that come with divorce, children will be neglected or get less attention. They might begin to slip into bad habits such as juvenile delinquency and also suffer from mental health issues.

The 80% rule also states that 80% of women will sink below the poverty line after their divorce. Some may recover later while others remain in that situation for long periods. This situation of poverty as a result of divorce results in negative outcomes for children involved. When these divorced women sink into poverty, they will have to make several adjustments to their lives that affect their children. For example, they may lose their homes, their jobs or other sources of income such as business. Children will have to adjust to a lower kind of lifestyle that they were used to before. Another reason why women sink into poverty is when their spouse was the primary breadwinner, and they are left with no steady source of income on their own (Leopold, 773). Children have a hard time understanding the fact that their parents are no longer together, and the fact that they have to live a different lifestyle compounds issues. For example, children may feel ashamed of losing their homes as their friends may ask or even tease them about it. The children suffer from low self-esteem, mental health issues such as depression, as well as lower performance in school as they are too worried about many things.

As a society, we are setting up our children for failure in life. Divorce is devastating on children, most of whom do not understand what is happening. Some parents are too engrossed in animosity towards their partners that they fail to take into account how the divorce affects children. Unfortunately, most divorces are bitter and hostile, and children never recover from it. The above discussed negative outcomes on children related to poverty and divorce last for a lifetime unless parents set aside their differences and prioritize their children’s wellbeing. Some divorced spouses keep children away from their partners out of spite, forgetting that children need both of their parents (Elam et al. 585). As the divorce rates increase over time, so do the number of children suffering through their parents’ selfishness. When couples are in an unhappy marriage or relationship, divorce should be allowed. However, people must think long and hard before getting married and having children. In case a divorce appears to be the only viable solution, the partners should put the welfare of their children first.

In conclusion, divorce is never easy for any of the people involved. Most people get married with the hope that their union will be lifelong, and their children will spend a lifetime in a happy family. However, this usually turns out to not be the case, as more than half of all first marriages in the United States end in divorce. The divorcing partners are adults who get the causes and consequences of their decisions, but the children involved are innocent parties how mainly do not understand what is happening. From the 80% rule, 80% of women end up in poverty, and 80% of parents in single-parent families happen to be women. The negative effects of divorce and poverty on children are similar, so divorce brings an even more challenging situation as it is a double tragedy. These adverse outcomes affect children for a lifetime; therefore parents need to be sensitive to the needs and wellbeing of their children in the event of a divorce.

Works Cited

Elam, Kit K., et al. “Non-residential father–child involvement, interparental conflict and mental health of children following divorce: A person-focused approach.” Journal of youth and adolescence 45.3 (2016): 581-593.

Gustavsen, Geir Wæhler, Rodolfo M. Nayga, and Ximing Wu. “Effects of parental divorce on teenage children’s risk behaviors: incidence and persistence.” Journal of family and economic issues 37.3 (2016): 474-487.

Leopold, Thomas. “Gender differences in the consequences of divorce: A study of multiple outcomes.” Demography 55.3 (2018): 769-797.