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Contents 1 A Preview 2 Impact of a Divorce on Teens 3 What a Parent can do to Ease the Pain 3.1 Bibliography 3.2 Related Pages 3.3 External Helpful Sites 3.4 Outline Sequence

[edit] A Preview

It is not easy for a husband and wife to decide to end a marriage. Often they spend a long time trying to solve problems before deciding to divorce. But sometimes, they just can't fix the problems and decide that a divorce is the best solution. Usually, both parents are disappointed that their marriage can't last, even if one wants a divorce more than the other.

Many kids don't want their parents to divorce. Some kids have mixed feelings about it, especially if they knew their parents weren't happy together. Some kids may even feel relieved when parents divorce, especially if there's been a lot of fighting between parents during the marriage.

References: The Teen Guide How parenting changes after divorce

2	It is important to communicate with your teens about the divorce, but in an objective way

2	As a teen, I felt I was to blame for my parents' divorce

[edit] Impact of a Divorce on Teens

Image:Divorce1

Opinion: Many unhappily married couples wait until their children are in their teens to divorce. They figure divorce will affect them less when they are starting to build lives of their own anyway. But divorce can bring some unique pressures and losses for teens.

* Teens may be troubled with guilt over parental divorce, wondering if their sometimes stormy moments of adolescence contributed to the breakup.
* Teens have a difficult time dealing with parental dating and sexuality.
* Teens could experience a profound sense of loss and anger.
* Teens could experience conflicts in loyalty toward one or both parents.
* A divorce can mean a family move, which can mean a change of schools and loss of friends.
* A divorce can mean that parents are too busy dealing with their own feelings to listen as often to their teen's problems.

Many studies have reported that children of divorced parents experience more problems in adjustment than children who grow up in intact families. Much of the research suggests that children of divorce are more likely to have more difficulties in school and to be more sexually active, more aggressive, more anxious, more withdrawn, more depressed, and more likely to abuse substances and participate in delinquent acts than their peers from intact families.

References: Unhappy Parents Unhappy Teens Effect of divorce on teens

[edit] What a Parent can do to Ease the Pain

* Stay involved in his/her life. Teenagers still need parents.
* Be available and provide encouragement and emotional support.
* Allow him/her teen to make decisions with you regarding his/her activities.
* Set up predictable routines in your household.
* Reduce inter-parental conflict. If possible, cooperatively parent with your child's other parent. Speak positively about your child's other parent in front of the child and do not place the child in the middle. For example, having your child spy on the other parent or using visitation rights as a bargaining tool undermines the confidence your child has with the other parent and strains his or her emotional well-being.
* Be aware of your adjustment or becoming depressed. Seek help from professionals if you need it.
* Refrain from burdening your adolescent with your problems or using your teen as a confidant. Allow your adolescent to remain a teenager.
* Minimize changes, keep as many daily routines in place as possible, or slowly change them.
* Ensuring that your teens have support from friends and family. Research suggests that support from extended members of your family and community can make a world of difference when it comes to having your teens successfully survive a divorce.
* Finding a counselor for your teens that they like and can confide in (school counselors are sometimes useful to consult).
* Pay attention to your health. The more you take care of you, the better you’ll be able to take care of your children.

2	Teens need time from their parents to better cope with divorce

References: Helpful articles on what the parents can do to minimize the impact {1} {2} {3}

Tip: I found some good tips at this link for teens to cope better with parents’ divorce Dealing with Divorce

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Related Pages

Racism and Prejudices
Bonding
Therapy
Teen and Parent Jokes
Religion
Divorce
Teens and the Green Movement
Single Parents

[edit] External Helpful Sites

[edit] Outline Sequence

Portal:Misc.>Divorce