They think that if they had done something differently the family would still be together. Poor self-esteem may also be a concern. Children may also revert to younger behaviors during times of trauma, such as divorce, death, or remarriage. These should work themselves out in a couple of months. If not, you may want to look for other reasons, such as overindulgence, to make up for the loss, feelings of insecurity, or other pressures in their lives.
Boys tend to take changes harder than girls.
They take longer to adjust and show more disruptive behaviors. Patience and discussion can help. All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status. Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.