Colorado residents may be familiar with the divorce process and know firsthand how hard it can be. Divorce involves two people, but it typically affects more than two if there are children involved. Being in the middle of two divorcing parents can put a mental and emotional strain on the mind of an adolescent. Children may feel a sense of guilt of which parents may not be aware.
Children often blame themselves for their parent deciding to divorce. They may feel they were not included in the decision being made and suffer a sense of being left out. It can be difficult for children to think about a life without their parents being together. During this time, children may experience a change in behavior that may [place additional strains on the family unit.
If parents can work together while working on being apart, children can be eased into a level of comfort with the idea. They often understand more than parents think. If the details are assumed to be too harsh for a child to know, parents could possibly break it down to a level that their kids can understand. Without giving to many details away that may make one parent look bad, using age appropriate examples may help the child understand what is going on and why.
When seeking divorce, researching all available options under Colorado law is a valuable start. Choosing to mediate outstanding issues may also help parents to find a common ground with each other. Here, parents have the opportunity to come up with an arrangement that suits everyone involved, especially their children. If mediation does not yield any results, a court of law can assist in making decisions regarding ongoing disputes.
Source: The Southern, "Diary of a child of divorce," Stephanie Duckworth, May 14, 2013
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