They will often deny and hide their own feelings. Many children feel guilty when their parents divorce. They think that if they had just behaved better or done better in school, it would not have happened. It is important to explain to a child that they did not cause the divorce. A child needs to know that the divorce is a result of the parents not being able to work things out.
Children often experience a conflict of loyalty.
When they are with one parent, they feel guilty about not being with the other, and vice versa. It is important, as a parent, to tell a child that it is OK to spend time with the other parent as well. Tell the child that you know he or she wants to be with the ex-partner as well, and that is not a problem. Children will always react to a divorce. The question is how and how strong the reactions are.