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Divorce can be a difficult transition for every member of the family, particularly children. Separation can have a significant impact on a child's emotional wellbeing, and they may respond in different ways depending on their age and circumstances. This video explores how divorce can affect children's mental health, and the importance of seeking the right support and resources to help your child feel supported and understood throughout the process.
Video Transcript
[Samantha Klein]
Divorce is hard. It's hard for parents, it's hard for kids, it's hard for families. And as parents, we want to do the best things for our kids, which is to help them get through the process as best as they can. Oftentimes, this means bringing in mental health professionals and other people who can really help your kids feel stable, supported, and have their mental health really addressed.
[Nicky Rooz]
So sometimes when separation occurs, children can really struggle, sometimes beyond the norm. In younger children, this may present as behavioral problems. In older children, they may not be able to engage or express themselves as they normally would. In more severe and extreme circumstances, children might even turn to things such as substance abuse.
[Samantha Klein]
When you start going through the divorce process, the first thing you can do is panic. It's uncharted waters, it's scary, you're anxious because of it. You know your life is going to change, and it's especially hard on kids.
They want to see both their parents together, they don't necessarily understand. They have to get used to carrying their stuff between households – "where's my socks for soccer?", right? All that stuff. And as parents, we have to focus on their mental health throughout this process and provide them with as much support as possible. There can't be a stigma around mental health intervention when it comes to children.
[Nicky Rooz]
Even though we may know our kids very well, we may not always know how best to help them. There's no shame in seeking support and resources, and I would highly recommend that – whether that's something like family therapy or a specialist who can help guide you in making decisions and getting the right resources for your family and your child.
[Samantha Klein]
When you're in the middle of a divorce, oftentimes your kids are not the focus – you're concerned about your own mental health. We can't do that. We have to remember that these little humans need us for support. We need to ask early, we need to ask loudly, to make sure that they have the support they need.
You don't want your kid to remember this time in their lives and think it was the most atrocious thing. You want them to feel like it was hard, but that they were supported, they had the love of both their parents, and they had all these people around them who love them and helped them get through the situation.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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