The Real Impact of Marriage and Divorce on Kids

By Nottage and Ward on March 28, 2012

According to Psychology Today, a popular blogger and best-selling author recently declared that divorce is selfish and immature, almost always bad for kids, a sign of mental illness, and something done by “dumb people” more so than well-educated people. These are very strong statements, but that doesn’t mean they are correct. Based on the aforementioned points, it can be concluded that a married couple, even an unhappily married couple, should stay together “for the kids.” This brings up an important question, however: Does divorce cause more damage to children than an unhappy marriage?

Divorce is difficult on everyone involved, including children, and children from divorced parents tend to experience more behavioral and/or school-related problems, but does that mean that parents should stay together even though they are unhappy? The short answer is no. Factors that create issues for kids during/after a divorce can also exist during a marriage. If there is a high level of conflict between parents, it will affect their children.

Divorce is not the worst situation for children; the worst situation is when unhappily married parents, especially those that experience high levels of conflict, stay together. Both psychologists and sociologists consistently find that children who are raised by parents who are unhappily married do worse than those whose unhappily married parents divorce. In this way, divorce can actually benefit your family.

The decision to divorce is tough on everyone, but it may be necessary to create the most positive situation for a couple and their children. If you believe divorce may be the best option for you and your kids, contact the experienced Chicago divorce lawyers at Nottage and Ward today at (312) 332-2915. We can help you understand your legal rights and options.